“A vegetable out of its place.”
“A vegetable,” repeated No. 5, “why we don’t eat them, Aunt Judy.”
“You kitchen-garden interpreter, who said we did?” replied she. “All green herbs are vegetables, let me tell you, whether we eat them or not.”
“Oh, I see,” mused No. 5, quietly enough, but in another instant he broke out again.
“I’ll tell you what though, some of them are real vegetables, I mean kitchen-garden vegetables, to other creatures, and that’s why they’re wanted. Groundsel’s a vegetable, it’s the canary’s vegetable. I mean his kitchen-garden vegetable, and if he had a kitchen-garden of his own, he would grow it as we do peas. So I was right after all, No. 6!”
That twit at the end spoilt everything, otherwise this was really a bright idea of No. 5’s.
“Aunt Judy, do begin to talk yourself,” entreated No. 6. “I wish No. 5 would be quiet, and not teaze.”
“And he wishes the same of you,” replied Aunt Judy, “and I wish the same of you all. What is to be done? Come, I will tell you a story, on one positive understanding, namely, that whoever teazes, or even twits, shall be turned out of the company.”
No. 5 sat up in his chair like a dart in an instant, and vowed that he would be the best of the good, till Aunt Judy had finished her story.
“After which—” concluded he, with a wink and another grin.