This particular page of his “picture-book” had often puzzled Boy. When Gerty had first read to him—
Fetch me the BAT
To kill the RAT,
he had at once asked,—
“Where rat?”
Gerty had sought everywhere all over the ornate capital letter and the other designs on the page for the missing animal,—but in vain. Therefore she had been reluctantly compelled to admit the depressing truth,—
“There ain’t no rat, Master Boy dear!”
“Why no rat?” pursued Boy, solemnly.
Driven to desperation, a bright idea suddenly crossed Gerty’s brain.
“I ’xpect it’s cos it’s killed,” she said,—“See, Master Boy! It’s ‘a bat to kill a rat.’ And the rat’s killed!”
“Poo’ rat!” commented Boy thoughtfully—“Gone! Poo’—Poo’ rat!—gone altogezzer!”