“But, tell me, pray, why are your pupils standing in a line this way?” asked the rabbit gentleman, when the pie was all eaten.
“We are having an examination,” the teacher replied. “It is nearing the time to close the school for the summer, and I am trying to find out how much my pupils know, so that if they are smart enough they can go to a higher class. We are having an examination, you see.”
“An examination in what?” asked Uncle Wiggily.
“In spelling,” answered the lady mouse. “Would you like to ask them to spell some words?”
“I should be delighted,” went on the rabbit gentleman. Then, looking straight at Sammie Littletail, the rabbit boy, Uncle Wiggily said:
“Spell me the word carrot!”
“C-a-r-r-o-t,” spelled Sammie. He knew that word very well, you see, because he ate carrots every day.
“Good!” cried Uncle Wiggily. Then he looked at Billie Bushytail, the squirrel, and said:
“Spell me the word peanut!”
“P-e-a-n-u-t,” spelled Billie the first time.