Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/264

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
226
SYLVIE AND BRUNO CONCLUDED

"So Bruno went a little further along the road. And then he heard it again, that queer noise——Thump! Thump! Thump! 'What ever is that?' said Bruno. 'Oh, I know!' said Bruno. 'Why, it's only the Carpenter a-mending my Wheelbarrow!'"

"Were it the Carterpenter a-mending his Wheelbarrow?" Bruno asked me.

I brightened up, and said "It must have been!" in a tone of absolute conviction.

Bruno threw his arms round Sylvie's neck. "Sylvie!" he said, in a perfectly audible whisper. "He says it must have been!"

"Then Bruno thought a little harder. And he said 'No! It ca'n't be the Carpenter amending my Wheelbarrow, because I haven't got a Wheelbarrow!'"

This time I hid my face in my hands, quite unable to meet Bruno's look of triumph.

"So Bruno went a little further along the road. And then he heard that queer noise again——Thump! Thump! Thump! So he thought he'd look round, this time, just to see what it was. And what should it be but a great Lion!"