At last, taking a leaf out of Bruno's book, I ventured on a remark. `Doesn't "Apple-Tree" always begin with Eh!"?'
`Why, of course it does! How clever of you!' Sylvie cried delightedly.
Bruno jumped up, and patted me on the head. I tried not to feel conceited.
`So the Apple-Tree said "Eh! What are you going to do with all those Apples?" And Bruno said "Please, Sir, I want them for my Picnic." And the Apple-Tree said "Eh! But I hope you wo'n't bake any of them?" And Bruno said "No, indeed I wo'n't! Ripe Apples are so nice and so sweet, they want no baking!"'
`They never doesn't--' Bruno was beginning, but Sylvie corrected herself before he could get the words out.
`"They never doesn't nohow want no baking." So Bruno put the Apples in the hamper, along with the Bread, and the bottle of Milk. And he set off to have a Picnic, on the top of the hill, all by himself--'
`He wasn't greedy, oo know, to have it all by himself,' Bruno said, patting me on the cheek to call my attention; `'cause he hadn't got no brothers and sisters.'
`It was very sad to have no sisters, wasn't it?' I said.
`Well, I don't know,' Bruno said thoughtfully; `'cause he hadn't no lessons to do. So he didn't mind.'
Sylvie went on. `So, as he was walking along the road, he heard behind him such a curious sort of noise--a sort of a Thump! Thump! Thump! "Whatever is that?" said Bruno. "Oh, I know!" said Bruno. "Why, it's only my Watch a-ticking!"'
`Were it his Watch a-ticking?' Bruno asked me, with eyes that fairly sparkled with mischievous delight.
`No doubt of it!' I replied. And Bruno laughed exultingly.
`Then Bruno thought a little harder. And he said "No! it ca'n't be my Watch a-ticking; because I haven't got a Watch!"'
Bruno peered up anxiously into my face, to see how I took it. I hung my head, and put a thumb into my mouth, to the evident delight of the little fellow.
`So Bruno went a little further along the road. And then he heard it again, that queer noise--Thump! Thump! Thump! "Whatever is that?" said Bruno. "Oh, I know!" said Bruno. "Why, it's only the Carpenter a-mending my Wheelbarrow!"'
`Were it the Carpenter a-mending his Wheelbarrow?' Bruno asked me.
I brightened up, and said `It must have been!' in a tone of absolute conviction.
Bruno threw his arms round Sylvie's neck. `Sylvie!' he said, in a perfectly audible whisper. `He says it must have been!'
`Then Bruno thought a little harder. And he said "No! It ca'n't be the Carpenter a-mending my Wheelbarrow, because I haven't got a Wheelbarrow!"
This time I hid my face in my hands, quite unable to meet Bruno's look of triumph.
`So Bruno went a little further along the road. And then he heard that queer noise again--Thump! Thump! Thump! So he thought he'd look round, this time, just to see what it was. And what should it be but a great Lion!'