Maggie Browne

“ Thirteen-fourteenths looked at the paper, then at Lucy, then at Minora. Then he folded up the sheet carefully, and put it away at the bottom of his pocket.
“Now, Minora,” said the Fraction, “pull yourself together and tell us about it. Where did you see Father William, and which way did he go?”
Minora sighed, and rubbed her arms and hands and sides.
“I don’t know anything about Father William,” she said, “but I do know an old gentleman who looks as old as old, and who can jump and run, and tumble, and get up again, and never mind it at all, as if he were as young as young.” ”

“ She had asked him to get it, and had told him what a troublesome, mischief-making book it was.
“Which way did he go when he left you?” asked Lucy.
“I don’t know,” said Minora, “I chased him a long way down the road leading to the tree, but when I tumbled I didn’t see which way he went. I shall have to find out, for I promised Queen Harmony to get the book.”
“Then you have been to the Queen,” said Thirteen-fourteenths. “How did you get on? What did she say? Where is Major C?”
“One question at a time,” said Minora.
“There’s someone coming,” cried Lucy, “I can hear the tramp of horses.” ”

“ Snip to the Fraction, as they peeped through the hedge. “Lucy persuaded him to come.”
Anthony himself looked rather sad and depressed; he sighed, and said “Heigho!” But Rowley-Powley, Gammon, and Spinach were three of the liveliest imps you ever saw. Anthony Rowley bowed to the Grand Panjandrum, his three imps only set faces.
“Go on, tell all you know, and don’t ‘Heigho’ more than you can help,” whispered the Young Man.
“Heigho,” sighed Anthony Rowley. “Life is a tragedy, and I, poor, miserable creature that I am, know only too well the discomfort of uncongenial surroundings.” ”