word of the day: dekko

word of the day: dekko

Miss Bianca and Bernard of the Mouse Prisoners’ Aid Society have taken it upon themselves to rescue an old friend left behind in Antarctica after the rest of his scientific expedition abruptly went home. 

Accidentally stranded themselves, the two mice take shelter in a copy of The Complete Works of Shakespeare. 

Bernard, taking a dekko outside at p. 498, [took] an involuntary shower under a dollop of ice melting from the Leopold Edition’s eaves.

Miss Bianca suggests switching camp from the book to the abandoned tent of the Antarctic expedition. 

‘Within that larger tent beside which we first observed [the old friend] I shouldn’t be surprised to find all sorts of provisions! Moreover ’tis quite close at hand,’ she added, slipping out at p. 560 to take a dekko herself.’

definition (Collins dictionary): Brit. a look; glance

source:

Miss Bianca in the Antarctic

by Margery Sharp

illustrated by Erik Blegveld

1971. Little, Brown & Co., Boston MA