A dark, thin-faced man in
very neat brown clothes and broad-toed shoes came up, followed
by Puck.
'Three Dunkirk boats was standin' in!'
the man went on.
'Hssh!' said Puck. 'You'll shock these nice young people.'
'Oh! Shall I? Mille pardons!' He shrugged his shoulders almost
up to his ears - spread his hands abroad, and jabbered in French.
'No comprenny?' he said. 'I'll give it you in Low German.' And
he went off in another language, changing his voice and manner
so completely that they hardly knew him for the same person.
But his dark beady-brown eyes still twinkled merrily in his lean
face, and the children felt that they did not suit the straight, plain,
snuffy-brown coat, brown knee-breeches, and broad-brimmed
hat. His hair was tied 'in a short pigtail which danced wickedly
when he turned his head.
'Ha' done!' said Puck, laughing. 'Be one thing or t'other,
Pharaoh - French or English or German - no great odds which.'
'Oh, but it is, though,' said Una quickly. 'We haven't begun
German yet, and - and we're going back to our French next week.'
'Aren't you English?' said Dan. 'We heard you singing just now.'
'Aha! That was the Sussex side o' me.
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