"Please, how do you pronounce p-h-t-h-i-s-i-c?"
"Phthisic. Where do you find anything about it, Phebe?" Miss Hulburt felt that she was developing in craftiness.
"In my—geography."
Miss Hulburt's smile showed that she believed she had caught the young sinner napping.
"But my book doesn't have any such word."
Isabel raised her hand in support of her friend.
"If you please, Miss Hulburt, we're reading in the back part, about the South Sea Islands. It says it's very common there."
"Phebe," Isabel whispered, a little later; "what is it?"
"What's what?"
"P-h-t-h-You know."