that was nothing, yet he did it always when we come in the tent, _pour
saluer_, to say the how you do. But one day come in a man to see Le
Boss, very tall, oh, like mountains, and on him a tall hat. And
Monsieur George, he not stopped to measure with his eye, for fear he be
too late with the _politesse_, and he jump, and carry away the man's
hat, and knock him down and come plomp, down on him. Yes, very funny!
The man got a bottle in his hat, and that break, and run all over him,
and he say, oh, he say all things what you think of. But Monsieur
George was so 'shamed, he go away and hide, and not for a week we see
him again. Le Boss think that man poison him, and he goes to beat him;
but that same day Monsieur George come back, and stop outside the tent
and call us all to come out. And when we come, he run back, and say,
'Look here, what I do!' and he jump, and go clean over the tent, and
not touch him wiz his foot. Yes, I saw it: very fine dog, Monsieur
George! But Coquelicot, he have more thinking than Monsieur George.
He very claiver, Coquelicot! Some of zem think him a witch, but I
think not that. He have minds, that was all. But his legs so short,
and that make him hate Monsieur George."

"My legs are short," objected Petie, stretching out a pair of plump
calves, "but that doesn't make me hate people."

"Ah, but if you see a little boy what can walk over the roof of the
house, you want the same to do it, _n'est-ce-pas_?" cried Marie. "You
try, and try, and when you cannot jump, you think that not a so nize
little boy as when his legs were short. So boy, so dog. Coquelicot,
all his life he want to jump like Monsieur George, and all his life he
cannot jump at all. You say to him, 'Coquelicot, are you foolishness?
you can do feefty things and George not one of zem: you can read the
letters, and find the things in the pocket, and play the ins_tru_ment,