Miss Ada Jorkins must have been twenty-four and her little brother
Johnnie three years of age, with thirteen brothers and sisters between.
There was a trap for the solver in the words "seven times older than
little Johnnie." Of course, "seven times older" is equal to eight times
as old. It is surprising how many people hastily assume that it is the
same as "seven times as old." Some of the best writers have committed
this blunder. Probably many of my readers thought that the ages 24½
and 3½ were correct.