"I NEVER knew before, Cecil, that you were so fond of drawing," said Aunt Sophia, as she
1 over Cecil's shoulder, who was busy with his pencil.
"I need to do so," cried Cecil, "2 I'm to get the prize for drawing."
"I thought," said the aunt, "that you had little 3 against Lee. He is an artist's son, and has used the pencil, one might say, from his cradle (摇篮)."
"That will double the 4 of beating him!" cried Cecil, drawing a picture with his pencil at once, 5 he did what he said.
"You're not neglecting (忽视) your French for it, I hope? You've had this 6 for three years."
"Yes," replied Cecil, with a proud smile; "there's no boy in our class can 7 me in French though Russell is now working hard. But I'm not 8 one prize. It would be fantastic to beat the son of an artist on his own ground!"
"Take care!" said his aunt, gently 9 her hand on his shoulder, "Don't lose the French prize when you are trying for another which is 10 to get."
The day on which the names of the prize-winners were read out, Cecil came home 11. His looks told his aunt enough to make her know he 12 the competition. But his little sister was not so 13.
"O Cecil," she cried, "tell me, are you to get the two prizes?"
"No," shouted Cecil.
"Only one?"
"Not one," cried the boy angrily. "I was so busy trying to 14 Lee that I couldn't hold my ground against Russell."
Aunt Sophia silently hoped that the lesson might be worth the 15 which it cost, and the boy might not again need to be reminded.
