Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/99

IV] So we walked, quite leisurely, down the field, to where the frightened lad stood. A more curious sight I had seldom seen, in all my 'eerie' experiences. Every bit of him was in violent action, except the left foot, which was apparently glued to the groundthere being nothing visibly holding it: while, at some little distance, the long feathery tail was waving gracefully from side to side, showing that Nero, at least, regarded the whole affair as nothing but a magnificent game of play.

"What's the matter with you?" I said, as gravely as I could.

"Got the crahmp in me ahnkle!" the thief groaned in reply. "An' me fut's gone to sleep!" And he began to blubber aloud.

"Now, look here!" Bruno said in a commanding tone, getting in front of him. "Oo've got to give up those apples!"

The lad glanced at me, but didn't seem to reckon my interference as worth anything. Then he glanced at Sylvie: she clearly didn't count for very much, either. Then he took courage. "It'll take a better man than any of yer to get 'em!' he retorted defiantly.