Shouldn't be surprised if you did some day, you want such funny things," answered Ben, appeased by the compliment.
"I'll try the amanuensis first.

It's only some one to write for me; I get so tired doing it without a table.

You write well enough, and it will be good for you to know something about botany.

I intend to teach you, Ben," said Thorny, as if conferring a great favor.
"It looks pretty hard," muttered Ben, with a doleful Glance at the book laid open upon a strew of torn leaves and flowers.
"No, it isn't; it's regularly jolly; and you'd be no end of a help if you only knew a little.

Now, suppose I say, 'Bring me a "ranunculus bulbosus,"' how would you know what I wanted ?" demanded Thorny, waving his microscope with a learned air.
"Shouldn't." "There are quantities of them all round us; and I want to analyze one.
See if you can't guess." Ben stared vaguely from earth to sky, and was about to give it up, when a buttercup fell at his feet, and he caught sight of Miss Celia smiling at him from behind her brother, who did not see the flower.
"S'pose you mean this?
I don't call 'em rhinocerus bulburses, so I wasn't sure." And, taking the hint as quickly as it was given, Ben presented the buttercup as if he knew all about it.
"You guessed that remarkably well.