To make it
clearer, he moved his legs after the manner of one going up a ladder,
appeared to be opening a door, masticated vigorously, said, "Peaches,
peaches, peaches," and appeared to be coming down the ladder.
It was now evident to Tant Sannie that Waldo had been in her loft and eaten
her peaches.
To exemplify his own share in the proceedings, Bonaparte lay down on the
sofa, and shutting his eyes tightly, said, "Night, night, night!" Then he
sat up wildly, appearing to be intently listening, mimicked with his feet
the coming down a ladder, and looked at Tant Sannie. This clearly showed
how, roused in the night, he had discovered the theft.
"He must have been a great fool to eat my peaches," said Tant Sannie.
"They are full of mites as a sheepskin, and as hard as stones."
Bonaparte, fumbling in his pocket, did not even hear her remark, and took
out from his coat-tail a little horsewhip, nicely rolled up. Bonaparte
winked at the little rhinoceros horsewhip, at the Boer-woman, and then at
the door.
"Shall we call him--Waldo, Waldo?" he said.
Tant Sannie nodded, and giggled. There was something so exceedingly
humorous in the idea that he was going to beat the boy, though for her own
part she did not see that the peaches were worth it. When the Kaffer maid
came with the wash-tub she was sent to summon Waldo; and Bonaparte doubled
up the little whip and put it in his pocket.
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