Page:Jepson--Pollyooly.djvu/100

 John Ruffin was wont to regale his friends at afternoon tea, half eaten in his hand.

"Where on earth have you come from?" cried the Honorable John Ruffin in extreme astonishment.

"I crawled along the roof, and in through the window of our bedroom, sir," said Pollyooly, firmly removing the slice of cake from the reluctant hand of the Lump.

"But it's a sloping roof!" cried the Honorable John Ruffin yet more loudly.

"Yes, sir. It does slope," said Pollyooly, looking surprised at his vehemence.

The Honorable John Ruffin said no more at the moment. He ran out of the room, rushed up the stairs to the attic, and looked out of the window.

He came down, his face somewhat pale and said in a scared tone, "Never, on any account, crawl along that roof again. I forbid it absolutely. I'd rather be writted ten times over than that you should do such a dangerous thing."

"Yes, sir," said Pollyooly meekly, but she looked a little puzzled by his vehemence.

"What on earth did you do it for?" he said in an easier tone.