Some of the scholars who had read the letter began to laugh, as they now
saw the design of the teacher. Samuel had his eyes open by this time,
and saw what was coming. He hesitated and hung down his head.

"Be quick, sir. You shall have a chance now to exhibit your spelling
acquisitions."

Samuel dared not refuse longer, so he began,

"A-l-al-f-e-fe-u-s-us."

"Pronounce it, sir."

"Alfeus."

The scholars laughed heartily, and the teacher joined them, and for
three minutes the school-room fairly rung with shouts.

"Now spell Coombs," said the teacher.

"K-double o-m-s, kooms."

Again there was a roar of laughter in the room, which the teacher did
not wish to suppress.

"Spell knife now; you are so brilliant that the scholars would like to
hear more."

"N-i-f-e."

The scholars laughed again in good earnest, and the teacher added, "That
is not the way to spell a very sharp knife."

"Spell bargain."

"B-a-r-bar-g-i-n-gin, bargin."

"Such a kind of a bargain, I suppose, as a poor scholar makes, when he
wastes time enough in one winter to make him a good speller," continued
the teacher. When the laughter had ceased, he put out another word.

"Spell spectacles."

"S-p-e-t-spet-i-speti-c-l-e-s-cles, speticles."

Some of the scholars really shouted at this new style of orthography.

"I suppose that is the kind of glasses that 'old speticles' wears," said
the teacher. "You do not appear to entertain a very good opinion of him.
You may spell respectable."

"I shan't spell any more," answered Samuel in an insolent manner.

"Shan't spell any more! I command you to spell respectable."

"I shan't spell it," replied Samuel more defiantly.

In another instant the teacher seized him by the collar, and with one
desperate effort sent him half across the school-room. He hit the chair
in his progress and knocked it over, and the teacher hit his own foot
against the corner of the platform on which the desk was raised, and
stumbled, though he did not fall. From this, the report went abroad that
there was a sort of melee in school, and the teacher was flung upon the
floor in the scuffle. By the time Samuel found himself on his back, the
teacher stood over him with what the young rebel called a cugel (cudgel)
in his letter, saying,

"Get upon your feet and spell respectable loud enough for every scholar
to hear."

The boy saw it was no use to contend with such strength and
determination, and he instantly obeye