"What is an ignoramus?"
"It's Latin for an ignorant person," replied Johnny.
Felix looked thoughtful a moment, and then he began to whistle: he was
thinking how little he had learned at school, and wondering if he was in
danger of going through life, and turning out an ignoramus at last. He
wondered, too, if he was so much duller than Johnny, or what the reason
was that Johnny knew so much and he so little. As he did not like to
take any blame himself, he concluded it was because his father and
mother did not try to teach him any thing, and did not seem to know any
thing themselves of these things which Johnny had learned about, and
part of which he said his father and mother had told him.
When they came to the hill, Johnny got off of his bicycle, and walked
down. At first, Felix was inclined to laugh at him; but when he
reflected how much smarter Johnny was than himself in some ways, he
refrained for once to boast of his superior acquirements.
When they reached home, they found the family at the dinner-table; and
at one end of the table, by the side of Sue, sat a young man with auburn
hair, which, being closely cut, stood up smartly all about his head.
His eyes were hazel, his complexion ruddy, and he had a very bright and
good-natured expression of countenance.
"How d'y' do, Pierre?" exclaimed Johnny, apparently very much pleased at
seeing the young man. "Have you come to stay?"
"I believe so," replied Pierre, smiling.
Johnny had sat directly down at the table, since he knew his parents did
not like to have him late; but Felix remained in the sitting-room with
his hat on, looking curiously through the door at Pierre.
"Come, Felix, don't be any later than necessary," called out his uncle.
"I do not think Johnny timed himself very well, or you would have been
home earlier."