"Since dinner-time!" said Toto. "Wonderful indeed, Coon! But I shall hand the nuts to Cracker first, for he has told us a very good story, whether it is true or not."
CHAPTER XI.
THE apples and nuts went round again and again, and for a few minutes nothing was heard save the cracking of shells and the gnawing of sharp white teeth. At length the parrot said, meditatively:—
"That was a very stupid cow, though! Are all cows as stupid as that?"
"Well, I don't think they are what you would call brilliant, as a rule," Toto admitted; "but they are generally good, and that is better."
"Hem! possibly!" said Miss Mary, dryly. "That is probably why we have no cows in Central Africa. Our animals being all, without exception, clever and good, there is really no place for creatures of the sort you describe."
"How about the bogghun, Miss Mary?" asked the raccoon, slyly, with a wink at Toto.
The parrot ruffled up her feathers, and was about to make a sharp reply; but suddenly remembering the raccoon's brave defence of her an hour before, she smoothed her plumage again, and replied gently,—