Page:Carroll - Sylvie and Bruno Concluded.djvu/191

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JABBERING AND JAM.
153

"How far have you come, dear?" the young lady persisted.

Sylvle looked puzzled. "A mile or two, I think," she said doubtfully.

"A mile or three," said Bruno.

"You shouldn't say 'a mile or three,'" Sylvie corrected him.

The young lady nodded approval. "Sylvie's quite right. It isn't usual to say 'a mile or three'"

"It would be usual——if we said it often enough," said Bruno.

It was the young lady's turn to look puzzled now. "He's very quick, for his age!" she murmured. "You're not more than seven, are you, dear?" she added aloud.

"I'm not so many as that" said Bruno. "I'm one. Sylvie's one. Sylvie and me is two. Sylvie taught me to count."

"Oh, I wasn't counting you, you know!" the young lady laughingly replied.

"Hasn't oo learnt to count?" said Bruno.

The young lady bit her lip. "Dear! What embarrassing questions he does ask!" she said in a half-audible 'aside.'