32 | OVER THE SEA.

 

Dolly walked all round the bush to see how she could best get at him. It was not a
very big bush, and she found that by climbing a little way up it she could reach right into
the centre. This she did, Beppo facing her, and chewing away at the paper in the most
unconcerned manner. But just as she thought she had him, he slipped down the other
side on to the ground, and darted over the grass towards another bush. Off flew Dolly in —
hot pursuit, and off rushed Raggles, barking with excitement at the chase. Beppo hopped
along, trailing the roll behind him, and dashed into the bush before they could catch him.
Here however, he did not stay long, as Dolly displaced him from it once more. Off he
hopped again, Raggles and Dolly after him. There were no big trees about just here, so
that he had to keep going from bush to bush. But he kept this up so long that poor Dolly
grew breathless and quite cross. On, on they went, pursuers and pursued, Beppo chuckling
and chewing, Raggles barking noisily, and Dolly hot and tumbled. As Ragegles dashed
along the holly garland round his neck kept catching in the bracken and tripping him up.

At last they came to a place where the downs sloped gently, and the wood grew thicker.
Dolly was now very tired and breathless, but she was not going to give in, so when Beppo
took a sudden turn, and with a squeak of delight hopped down the slope, she ran pell-mell
after him. Alas, poor Dolly! she tripped, and—crack! crack !—tumbling through a lot
of withered branches, she fell down—down—down !

How funny the world was! What a lot of things were floating in the sky! Which side
up were the trees? Was she going through the earth? Dolly sat up and looked round,
Behind her was a long steep slide down which she had tobogganed. She had fallen into an
old grass-grown quarry. In front of her was old Raggles, his big brown eyes regarding her
inquiringly, while (good gracious!) on the bough of atree above her head was Beppo coolly
chewing the paper. . Dolly wasn’t hurt, though she felt a little giddy at first.

“ What a long way I’ve fallen!” she thought ; “I wonder if Dick ever slid so far?” Then
she looked at Beppo. “Oh, you little creature, you!” she said, shaking her fist at him ; but
he only grinned and went on chewing.

“Oh!” she cried, “if I don’t make haste, there'll soon be no paper left to get.”

Beppo, however, was not a bit more willing to give up his booty ; he evidently thought
it good eating. Dolly was in despair, and felt inclined to cry out of vexation. She had had
a big tumble, and her frock was torn, and she had made herself hot and untidy all for
nothing. She took off her hat and hung it on the bough above her, and was proceeding to
smooth out her hair, and fan her cheeks when what was her surprise to see that ragamuffin
Beppo coolly throw down the roll of paper, and, springing forward, snatch up her hat!

“Leave that alone, you nasty little thing,” she cried indignantly, jumping to her feet ;
but Beppo was already at the top of the tree where he seated himself securely, and
impudently stuck the hat on his own head. He was such a comical sight that although
Dolly was very cross she couldn’t help laughing.

“Oh, well,” she said at last, “I’m certainly not going to try and catch you any more,
I've got the papers.”

Beppo jabbered away as much as to say—“ and I’ve got the hat.”

Raggles barked indignantly, not thinking it right that his mistress’s property should be
stolen in this way. 5

“Come along, Rags,” said Dolly. “It’s only an old hat, and I can easily get another.
You little thief!”

So saying, she took the papers in her hand, and walked off down the pathway in a very