Dorothy reflected a moment.
“Soap is nasty,” she said.
“Well, we'll give them some strawberries. Open the gate and call them.”
She ran to the gate and gave the invitation. The children came in shyly, their mouths watering.
“Show them how to pick,” said Matthew.
She bent down and picked and gave a berry to each of the children. The old man walked away. Presently Dorothy came running after him. Why had he gone off?
“They'll eat more if I'm not there,” said he. “But why don't you stay?”
“One of them ate a slug,” replied Dorothy, in disgusted dignity.
The old man threw himself down on a garden seat and laughed. Dorothy clambered on to his knees.
“Tell me about the kangaroos,” she commanded. So for the next hour he entertained her with stories of kangaroos and monkeys and crocodiles and the strange beasts of far lands. Then Miss Lanyon came upon them, in search of Dorothy.