Page:Wren--The young stagers.djvu/143

Rh "Come and have some tea and then let's all play pirates-on-a-desert-island, down by the wreck—and, striking a piratical attitude, she sang in sepulchral voice that well-known old favourite of all the Best Pirates,

"Good a'ternoon, Mrs. Puffick, ma'am. I 'opes I sees you well," greeted Bobball, in propitiatory manner, as he gave his horny hands to the simultaneous embrace of a dozen small ones.

"Afternoon," snapped Mrs. Perfect.

"Ho yus, I could do with a bottle o' rum, Missy," continued the soldier, accepting the united invitation of the children that he would sit him down and be part of the picnic.

"Let's pretend the tea is rum," replied the little girl, "and you can be a dead man and we'll all sit on your chest."

"That ud be what you might call a rum go, Missy," returned Bobball, with an unexpected flight of wit.