," said he, at length; "phonetic."

"I object!" Cottsill and Maverick called out loudly together.

"I move it's phonetic," said Totts.

"Second the hup, hup," said Egghorn.

"Those in favor----" Kibosh began.

"That's not properly seconded," interrupted Cottsill.

"Motion!" finished Egghorn, with a shriek. And we carried phonetic by
eighteen to two.

"Since Professor Egghorn has shown us the only way," said Kibosh, "will
he not kindly lead off with his suggestions for a reform list?"

But once again the professor's utterance was transfixed.

"Give the pore gennleman a piece of chalk," said Willows, "and send him
to the blackboa'd."

With the blackboard we now made visible progress, which I decided it was
best for the present not to interrupt. Let as many suggestions as
possible be made; then we could weed them out. Consent was undivided
upon a number of words, and some old spelling passed away in peace. The
letter u disappeared from honor and favor, although, with much surprise,
I overheard Miss Appleby saying to herself that she intended to retain
it in all her private correspondence. The k was kicked out of Frederic.

("There's nothing new about that, either," said Miss Appleby, in a
whisper.)

"But I shall not permit any such liberty to be taken with my own name,"
said Professor Maverick, firmly; and this was conceded to him, Professor
Totts objecting.

"We shall never reach consistency at this rate," grumbled Lysander
Totts.

"Who came here to be consistent?" retorted Maverick.

"We came here for spelling reform," added Camillo Cottsill.

("Good gracious," said Miss Appleby, under her breath.)

Presently it was the letter h that occupied us; and old honour now
became onor (some were for oner, but gave in), followed by erb, our, and
umor.

"What's that?" demanded Totts, pointing to our.

"Time of day," answered Maverick. "Sixty minutes make one our."

"Then nobody can tell it from our cat, our cow," said Professor Totts.

"We can't help that," said Maverick.

"We're only here for simplification," Cottsill said again.

("Good gracious," repeated Miss Appleby.)

"Make it ower," suggested Cottsill; and this was done.

"Make it minits, too," said Totts; and this was done.

"Make it sekonds," said Maverick; and this was done.

Cottsill turned to Egghorn at the blackboard. "Add eir, umble, otel, and
istorical," said he.

"No, he sha'n't!" cried Totts, fiercely.

"Are we phonetic or not?