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First he gave out the priht Mr Barclay! Confused, Mr Barclay spelled, “Hero; h-e, he, r-o-e, ro, hero,” and the roar of laughter surprised him He joined in it as he went to a seat, the first one down

The words grew longer More and more spellers went down First Gerald Fuller’s side was shorter, then Pa’s, then Gerald Fuller’s again Everyone grearhter and excitement Laura was in her element She loved to spell Her toes on a crack in the floor and her hands behind her, she spelled every word that came to her Doent four from the enemy’s side, and three from Pa’s, then the word calibly spelled, “Differentiation: d-i-f, dif; f-e-r, fer, differ; e-n-t, different; i, differend; a-t-i-o-n, ashun; differentiation!”

Slowly al folks who had been spelled down Six remained in Gerald Fuller’s line, and only five in Pa’s— Pa and Ma and Florence Garland and Ben Woodworth and Laura

“Repetitious,” said Mr Clewett Doent one froentle voice spelled, “Repetitious: r-e, re; p-e-t, pet, repet; i, repeti; t-i-o-u-s, shius, repetitious”

“Mimosaceous,” said Mr Clewett Gerald Fuller spelled, “Mi Mr Clewett “No, s-i—,” he began again “That’s got me beat,” he said, and sat down

“Mimosaceous,” said Florence Garland “M-i-m, mim; o-s-a, mimosa; t-e—” And she had been a schoolteacher!

The next one on Gerald Fuller’s side went down, then Ben shook his head and quit without trying Laura stood straighter, waiting to spell the word Now at the head of the other line, Mr Foster began “Mimosaceous: m-i, mi; m-o, mimo; s-a, sa, mimosa; c-e-o-u-s, sius, mimosaceous”

A great burst of applause rose up, and some man shouted, “Good for you, Foster!” Mr Foster had taken off his thick jacket and he stood in his checked shirt, slint in his eye No one had guessed that he was a brilliant speller

Fast and hard the words ca then, the tricky words fro book On the other line, everyone went down but Mr Foster Ma went down Only Pa and Laura were left, to down Mr Foster

Not one of them missed a word In breathless silence, Pa spelled, Mr Foster spelled, Laura spelled, then Mr Foster again He was one against two It seemed that they could not beat him

Then, “Xanthophyll,” said Mr Clewett It was Laura’s turn

“Xanthophyll,” she said To her surprise, she was suddenly confused Her eyes shut She could almost see the word on the

speller’s last page, but she could not think It see ti eyes

“Xanthophyll,” she said again desperately, and she spelled quickly, “X-a-n, zan; t-h-o, tho, zantho; p-h—” Wildly she thought, “Grecophil,” and in a rush she ended, “-i-l—?” Mr Clewett shook his head

Tre, Laura sat down Now there was only Pa left