Page:The Princess of Cozytown.pdf/14

 large owl, who looked cross and ruffled and kept with his claw the place in a book he had been reading.

"Did your Honor hear the clock strike?" said the Pink Rabbit nervously. The Judge opened his eyes a bit wider than they were opened already (which was wide enough in all conscience) and stared at the Pink Rabbit so hard that the poor fellow's ears stood straight behind and his collar wilted from very scaredness.

"I am deaf," said he, after a terrible pause. "Certainly not! Certainly not—how stupid of me!" mumbled the rabbit apologetically. "What I meant to say was—were you not surprised to hear the town clock strike?"

"I am surprised," replied the owl haughtily.

"Oh dear, oh dear!" murmured the pink rabbit, mopping his head and looking more uncomfortable every minute.