Help me, Will

[Steven Maas (CUTR)]

On Tue, 1 Apr 1997 andrew at cee.hw.ac.uk wrote:
> I don't understand the preceding fragment
> 
>     the Children, having all upon the Fly, among rhythmic slaps of
>     Batter and Spoon, coax'd and stolen what they might, proceed, as
>     upon each afternoon all this snowy Winter, to a comfortable
> 
> What exactly is that Fly doing?

I think that that Fly works as in the phrase "he did it on the fly," 
meaning did it quickly without a lot of forethought or planning. Maybe
this is only US slang, not used in the Mother Tongue?

But I'm confused about that "slaps of Batter."  I understand the "slaps of
Spoon" but why would an annoyed cook slap with batter?  and why are the
slaps rhythmic?

	Steve Maas

(This isn't Dkipen's own April Fool's Day joke is it?)