Then Laddie spelled one word two different ways; and the Princess went him one better, for she spelled another three.
They spelled from the Bible, Nebuchadnezzar, Potiphar, Peleg, Belshazzar, Abimelech, and a host of others I never heard the minister preach about.

Then they did the most dreadful thing of all.

"Broom," pronounced the teacher, and I began mentally, b-r-o-o-m, but Laddie spelled "b-r-o-u-g-h-a-m," and I stared at him in a daze.

A second later Miss Amelia gave out "Beecham" to the Princess, and again I tried it, b-e-e-c-h, but the Princess was spelling "B-e-a-u-c-h-a-m-p," and I almost fell from the window.
They kept that up until I was nearly crazy with nervousness; I forgot I was half frozen.

I pulled Laddie's sleeve and whispered in his ear: "Do you think she'll cry if you beat her ?" I was half crying myself, the strain had been awful.