`` No , '' said John , pulling off his outer coat . `` It 's very true , Dot . I do n't know much about it . I only know that I 've been fighting pretty stiffly with the wind to-night . It 's been blowing north-east , straight into the cart , the whole way home . '' `` Poor old man , so it has ! '' cried Mrs. Peerybingle , instantly becoming very active . `` Here , take the precious darling , Tilly , while I make myself of some use . Bless it , I could smother it with kissing it , I could ! Hie then , good dog ! Hie , Boxer , boy ! Only let me make the tea first , John ; and then I 'll help you with the parcels , like a busy bee . ` How doth the little ' -- and all the rest of it , you know , John . Did you ever learn ` How doth the little , ' when you went to school , John ? '' `` Not to quite know it , '' John returned . `` I was very near it once . But I should only have spoilt it , I dare say . '' `` Ha , ha ! '' laughed Dot . She had the blithest little laugh you ever heard .
`` What a dear old darling XXXXX a dunce you are , John , to be sure ! ''
about into like near of so that to while with