“Pleasant weather we are having,” remarked the Laziest Beaver to Buddie.
“Yes,” she answered absently, her attention on the song. She thought it kind of Colonel to sing, and extremely impolite of the Laziest Beaver to talk, especially as it was he that had asked for the music. Meanwhile the Yellow Dog, who had often sung in public, and so expected talking, kept on:
“We know why green peas make the best currant jell,
Why and wherefore the peanut-tree grows;
But, alack and alas! there is no one can tell
Why a rabbit should wabble his nose.”
“Our friend sings quite well, don’t you think so?” went on the Laziest Beaver.
“Yes,” replied Buddie, pleasantly, though inwardly vexed; and she nodded encouragement to the Yellow Dog, who just then burst into the chorus:
“We’ve whispered it so you could hear it for miles;
We’ve shouted it ‘under the rose’;