CHAPTER VI
The boys returned to the Burtons fast asleep, Budge in his father’s arms, and Toddie’s head pillowed on the shoulder of faithful Mike. No sound was heard from either of them until the next morning, when finding that they slept later than usual, their aunt went to their chamber to arouse them. She found Budge sitting up in bed rubbing his eyes with one hand, while with the other he shook his brother, and elicited some ugly grunts of remonstrance.
“Tod!” exclaimed Budge; “Tod! Wake up! We ain’t where we was!”
“Don’t care if we ain’t,” drawled Toddie. “I’zhe in—a—nicer playsh. I’zhe in—big candy-shop.”
“No, you ain’t,” said Budge, trying to pick his brother’s eyes open. “You’re at Aunt Alice’, and when you went to sleep you was at mamma’s house.”
“Pw—w—w—!” cried Toddie, arising slowly; “you’s a hateful bad boy, Budgie. I was a-dreamin’ I was in a candystore, an’ gotted all my pockets full an’ bof hands full, too, an’ now you’s woketed me up an’ my hands is all empty, an’ I hazn’t got any pocket-clozhezh on me at all.”
“Well, next time you have a dream I won’t wake you at all, even if you have nightmares an’ dream awful things. Say, Aunt Alice, how do folks dream, I wonder? What makes everythin’ go away an’ be somethin’ else?”
“It is the result of indistinct impressions upon a semi-dormant brain,” said Mrs. Burton.
“Oh!”
Mrs. Burton thought she detected a note of sarcasm in her nephew’s exclamation, but he was so young and he seemed so meek of countenance that she abandoned the idea. Besides, her younger nephew had been saying “Aunt Alish—Aunt Alish—Aunt Alish—Aunt Alish—” as rapidly as he could with an increasing volume of voice. Mrs. Burton found time in which to say: