“I can't pronounce that word,” he said.
“Read the lines again, and when you come to the word that puzzles you, pronounce it as you think it should be,” said Aunt Charlotte.
The other pupils were interested, but when Reginald glanced toward Arabella, he saw that she was smiling in evident delight at his discomfiture. He resolved to rush through the reading in a way that would tell her that he could read anything. He drew a long breath, and then, as fast as possible, he read:
“‘When the king rode over the highway, the sun glistened upon his carrot wheels!’”
Even Aunt Charlotte smiled at the droll error, but Arabella laughed long and loud.
“Order, order!” said Aunt Charlotte.
“The word is chariot,” she said.
The others read in turn, until they had finished the charming story, and each of the girls wondered why Arabella was not reproved for rudeness. The arithmetic lesson completed the morning's work, and as they walked home, they talked of the new pupil.
“I don't see why Aunt Charlotte didn't speak to Arabella,” said Nina Earl, “she was horridly rude.”
“And how queer she is,” said Mollie Merton; “just the minute school was out she ran down the path, and across the street to get home before any of us could talk with her. And I do wonder Aunt Charlotte didn't speak to her about laughing so loudly, just because Reginald made a mistake. I don't believe she could read any better.”