Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/97

IV] Sylvie's ear, that I was now the subject of conversation. Sylvie looked round laughingly.

"He asked me who you are," she explained. "And I said 'He's our friend.' And he said 'What's his name?' And I said 'It's Mister Sir.' And he said 'Bosh!'"

"What is 'Bosh!' in Doggee?" I enquired.

"It's the same as in English," said Sylvie. "Only, when a dog says it, it's a sort of a whisper, that's half a cough and half a bark. Nero, say Bosh!"

And Nero, who had now begun gamboling round us again, said "Bosh!" several times; and I found that Sylvie's description of the sound was perfectly accurate.

"I wonder what's behind this long wall?" I said, as we walked on.

"It's the Orchard," Sylvie replied, after a consultation with Nero. "See, there's a boy getting down off the wall, at that far corner. And now he's running away across the field. I do believe he's been stealing the apples!"

Bruno set off after him, but returned to us in a few moments, as he had evidently no chance of overtaking the young rascal.