"Oh, but I am sure," said Marjorie, very earnestly. "Ellen, our cook, made them, and she's a very superior cook. I know she is, because my mother says so. And, besides, I know these are good because I've had some of them myself."
"You've proved your case," said the old gentleman. "But now I'll catch you! I'll buy your whole stock of macaroons if——"
"If what, sir?" said Marjorie, breathlessly, for his suggestion meant a large sale, indeed.
"If you can spell macaroons," was the unexpected reply.
"Oh!" Marjorie gave a little gasp of dismay, for she had never had the word in her spelling lessons, and she didn't remember ever seeing it in print.
"May I think a minute?" she asked.
"Yes," said Mr. Abercrombie, taking out his watch; "but just a minute, no more."
This embarrassed Marjorie a little, but she was determined to win if possible, so she set her wits to work.
It was confusing, for she was uncertain whether to say double c or double r, or whether both those letters were single. Then, like a flash, came to her mind the way her father had taught her to spell macaroni. The words might not be alike, but more likely they were, so before the minute had elapsed, she said, bravely:
"M-a-c-a-r-double o-n-s."