Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno.djvu/96

68 "What a lovely garden you've made! Do you know, I'd like to live here always !"

"In the winter-nights " the Gardener was beginning.

"But I'd nearly forgotten what we came about!" Sylvie interrupted. "Would you please let us through into the road ? There's a poor old beggar just gone out——and he's very hungry——and Bruno wants to give him his cake, you know !"

"It's as much as my place is worth!" the Gardener muttered, taking a key from his pocket, and beginning to unlock a door in the garden-wall.

"How much are it wurf ?" Bruno innocently enquired.

But the Gardener only grinned. "That's a secret!" he said. "Mind you come back quick !" he called after the children, as they passed out into the road. I had just time to follow them, before he shut the door again.

We hurried down the road, and very soon caught sight of the old Beggar, about a quarter of a mile ahead of us, and the children at once set off running to overtake him.