They were seated in a tramcar--the mother and her little boy.
The conductor eyed the little boy suspiciously. He had to keep a lookout
for people who pretended that their children were younger than they
really were, in order to obtain free rides for them.
"And how old is your little boy, madam, please?"
"Three and a half," said the mother truthfully.
"Right, ma'am," said the conductor, satisfied.
Little Willie pondered a minute. It seemed to him that fuller
information was required.
"And mother's thirty-one," he said politely.