Farmer Rouse sent exactly 101 geese to market. Jabez first sold Mr.
Jasper Tyler half of the flock and half a goose over (that is, 50-1/2 +
1/2, or 51 geese, leaving 50); he then sold Farmer Avent a third of what
remained and a third of a goose over (that is, 16-2/3 + 1/3, or 17 geese,
leaving 33); he then sold Widow Foster a quarter of what remained and
three-quarters of a goose over (that is, 8-1/4 + 3/4 or 9 geese, leaving
24); he next sold Ned Collier a fifth of what he had left and gave him a
fifth of a goose "for the missus" (that is, 4-4/5 + 1/5 or 5 geese,
leaving 19). He then took these 19 back to his master.