[Illustration: ‘WHAT’S THE MATTER, DARLING?’] “What’s the matter, darling?” said Sylvie, with her arms round his neck. “Hurted mine self _welly_ much!” sobbed the poor little fellow. “I’m _so_ sorry, darling! How ever _did_ you manage to hurt yourself so?” “Course I managed it!” said Bruno, laughing through his tears. “Doos oo think nobody else but _oo_ ca’n’t manage things?” Matters were looking distinctly brighter, now Bruno had begun to argue. “Come, let’s hear all about it!” I said. “My foot took it into its head to slip——” Bruno began. “A foot hasn’t got a head!” Sylvie put in, but all in vain. “I slipted down the bank. And I tripted over a stone. And the stone hurted my foot! And I trod on a Bee. And the Bee stinged my finger!” Poor Bruno sobbed again. The complete list of woes was too much for his feelings. “And it knewed I didn’t _mean_ to trod on it!” he added, as the climax. “That Bee should be ashamed of itself!” I said severely, and Sylvie hugged and kissed the wounded hero till all tears were dried. “My finger’s quite unstung now!” said Bruno. “Why doos there be stones? Mister Sir, doos oo know?” “They’re good for _something_,” I said: “even if we don’t know _what_. What’s the good of _dandelions_, now?” “Dindledums?” said Bruno. “Oh, they’re ever so pretty! And stones aren’t pretty, one bit. Would oo like some dindledums, Mister Sir?” “Bruno!” Sylvie murmured reproachfully. “You mustn’t say ‘Mister’ and ‘Sir,’ both at once! Remember what I told you!” “You telled me I were to say ‘Mister’ when I spoked _about_ him, and I were to say ‘Sir’ when I spoked _to_ him!” “Well, you’re not doing _both_, you know.” “Ah, but I _is_ doing bofe, Miss Praticular!” Bruno exclaimed triumphantly. “I wishted to speak _about_ the Gemplun—and I wishted to speak _to_ the Gemplun. So a course I said ‘Mister Sir’!” “That’s all right, Bruno,” I said. “_Course_ it’s all right!” said Bruno. “Sylvie just knows nuffin at all!” “There never _was_ an impertinenter boy!” said Sylvie, frowning till her bright eyes were nearly invisible. “And there never was an ignoranter girl!” retorted Bruno. “Come along and pick some dindledums. _That’s all she’s fit for!_” he added in a very loud whisper to me. “But why do you say ‘Dindledums,’ Bruno? _Dandelions_ is the right word.” “It’s because he jumps about so,” Sylvie said, laughing. “Yes, that’s it,” Bruno assented. “Sylvie tells me the words, and then, when I jump about, they get shooken up in my head—till they’re all froth!” I expressed myself as perfectly satisfied with this explanation. “But aren’t you going to pick me any dindledums, after all?” “Course we will!” cried Bruno. “Come along, Sylvie!” And the happy children raced away, bounding over the turf with the fleetness and grace of young antelopes. “Then you didn’t find your way back to Outland?” I said to the Professor.