“It’s a fool name,” said Scip, moodily. “My pa and ma done give us all fool names but Tom.”
“I think Scipio was a Roman, and the Romans were very brave. You aren’t afraid of anything are you?”
“I’s afraid of my father.”
Hazel was silent. She felt very sorry for her new playmate.
“Shall we go on?” she said at length.
“Yes, ma’am.”
She let the “ma’am” pass, and began to teach again.
“We’ll spell the things about us. There are the pigs. See, pig is spelt PIG.” And she printed it for him.
He slowly repeated the letters.
“Say it phonetically,” she commanded. “P—ig.”