"Let me conduct the examination," said Philip; "shall it be public,--or will you go with me into a--a classroom?" and he looked toward the small "den" that opened from the library.
"Oh, have it public!" exclaimed Mona. "Let us all hear it"
"All right," and pretty Betty smiled, non-chalantly. "Go ahead, Professor."
"I will. You know these examinations begin by matching words. I say one word, and you say whatever word pops into your head first."
"Forest. I always thought this place ought to have been named the Forest of Arden, because--"
"Don't talk so much. You must say one word only. Concentrate."
"Oh, concentrate wasn't the _word_! I said that to you--"
"I thought you were talking to me _all_ the time!"
"How can I pass my examination if I'm to be still? Wagon."
"How did you know that I was an aviator?"
"You pass. Now for to see if you're thoroughly grounded in the common branches. Grammar, first. What's a noun, and give examples."
"A noun's a name. As, candy, heart, slipper."
"Two names,--as chicken salad,--Philip Van Reypen,--moonlight."
"Something you fall into,--as a ditch,--or love."
"A piece of fancy work for sale at a fair."
"Anything that joins,--as the marriage ceremony, or hooks and eyes."
"Good. Now for arithmetic. If you are at home of an evening, and a chap calls on you, and then I come to call, and take half your attention from him, what is left?"
"Right! Now, definitions. What do you mean by forever?"
"Until to-morrow!" returned Betty, laughing.
"Oh, Betty," exclaimed Patty, laughing, "I didn't know you were so witty!"
"Good gracious! don't call me _that!_ Here, stop this examination right now! I _won't_ be called witty. Why, don't you know--
"'Though you're sweet and though you're pretty, Men won't love you if you're witty!'
"I'm _always_ afraid of not being loved!"
Miss Gale looked so frightened at this very idea, that they all broke into laughter.
"You should worry!" declared Bill. "You haven't enough wit to do any great harm. Or, at least, if you have, you've compensating foolishness--I mean--that is--"
"There, there, Billee," counselled Patty, "you'd better stop,--you're just getting in deeper with every word."
"Oh, it's all right," and Beatrice shrugged her shoulders, "I need to be brought up with a round turn now and then. I'm too intellectual,--I know."