How wonderful! It was exactly the sort of voice a dog would be likely to speak with, if he could speak at all: it was thin and babyish.
“Oh, oh!” cried Posy.
“My sakes!” cried Pollio.
They knew as well as you do that dogs are dumb animals; but here was Beppo looking right up in their faces, and talking. They were greatly excited.
“Uncle Rufus, uncle Ru-fus!”
But they had to run up to him, and pull his sleeve, before he would pay any attention.
“Uncle Ru-fus! Beppo is talking!”
“Oh! is he? Well, why shouldn’t he talk? He has lived so long among chatter-boxes that I should think he might by this time.”
“But you needn’t make fun, Nunky. He did talk just now. I’ll leave it to Posy.”
“That’s so!” replied Beppo, wagging his tail.