“Except in fairy tales,” said Ruffles, calmly. “Don’t forget the fairy tales.”
“I don’t forget,” replied Tallydab. “But this isn’t a fairy tale, Ruffles. It’s real life in the kingdom of Noland.”
“To be sure,” answered Ruffles. “But see here, my dear master: now that I am, at last, able to talk, please allow me to ask you for something decent to eat. I’d like a good meal for once, just to see what it is like.”
“A good meal!” exclaimed the steward. “Why, my friend, don’t I give you a big bone every day?”
“You do,” said the dog; “and I nearly break my teeth on it, trying to crack it to get a little marrow. Whatever induces people to give their dogs bones instead of meat?”
“Why, I thought you liked bones!” protested Tallydab, sitting on the bench and looking at his dog in astonishment.
“Well, I don’t. I prefer something to eat—something good and wholesome, such as you eat yourself,” growled Ruffles.
The lord high steward gave a laugh.
“‘WHY, I THOUGHT YOU LIKED BONES!’ PROTESTED TALLYDAB, SITTING ON THE BENCH AND LOOKING AT HIS DOG IN ASTONISHMENT.”