24 FOUR-FOOTED AMElilCANS 



and sometimes perhaps I thought I did," said ^Ir. Blake, 

 looking at the Doctor, who was shaking with laughter. 



'* Did you ever shoot anything just to see if 5^ou 

 could hit it ? " asked Nat. 



'-' Yes ; I'm afraid I did often, before I had travelled 

 over the wikl west country and learned for myself that 

 shooting food and fur beasts to ' see wliat you can hit,' 

 is making this wonderful land of ours as bare of foar- 

 footed things as it will be of birds."' 



^' Say, ^lis' Cherry, can de young uns hal) a spoon o' 

 jam 'long o' dere Avafties ? " asked ]\Iammy Bun in what 

 was meant to be a whisper, po[)})ing her head in at the 

 door. 



'' I'jn afraid not, to-niglit, mammy," said Mrs. Blake, 

 Avhose girlish name of Cherry, mammy still used. 

 '^AVe should liave the children dreaming of Buffaloes 

 and Indians and rolling out of bed. AValfles are quite 

 enough." 



'* But Alammy liun's wafHes are such well-behaved 

 tilings that they never liurt anybody," said Olive. 



"Yes," echoed Dodo, 'Mnammy says it's all in the 

 beating u]) ; if you beat Avafties ever so hard Avhen 

 you're making them, they'll ncA^er talk back after you 

 eat them. I know something that does talk back, 

 though — it's turnips if you eat them raw like apples, 

 and chew ratlier quick and then drink Avater. Oh, it 

 Avas dreadful ! " 



" So, missy has been liaAdng indigestion, has she?" 

 laughed the Doctor. 



'' Yes ; if that name means that inside 3^our chest is 

 too big for 3^our skin. AVhat makes indigestion. Uncle 

 Roy?" 



