the slack of his roundabout
There was a slight noise behind her and she turned just in time to seize a small boy by the slack of his roundabout and arrest his flight.
"There! I might 'a thought of that closet. What you been doing in there?"
"Nothing."

Question

Answer

A roundabout is a type of jacket, but the term is used nowadays. The child's jacket was loose in the back and she seized him by the collar.

See definition 3 here: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/roundabout

Answer

Judy is right. A 'roundabout' is apparently a word used in the 19th century for a type of jacket. Here's some information about them:

http://www.customvestments.com/roundabouts.html

Answer

It sounds like a roundabout is an article of clothing that the boy was wearing. Some of it was loose, and that is what she grabbed to stop him.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!