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With the exception of such small fry as the March Hare and Toppin, nearly every boy managed to possess himself of a machine of some kind. Many were old, one was originally a lady's, and another had a solid tyre, but so long as the wheels would go round nothing mattered. And the wheel must be in a sorry condition indeed which a boy can't work.
"Sometimes I think child'n has too hard a time now, all the responsibility is put on to 'em, since they take the lead o' what to do an' what they want, and get to be so toppin' an' knowin'. 'Twas happier in the old days, when the fathers an' mothers done the rulin'." "They say things have changed," said Aunt Cynthy; "but staying right here, I don't know much of any world but my own world."
The Hare took no notice. He only tucked his arm affectionately into Toppin's, knowing that he was keeping within his rights in doing so. Toppin could say nothing. Arm-in-arm is quite correct and English! "I have som-ting to say. Zat Armitage he did not ought to be gone chasing paper. He is bad! I hate him, don' like him!" "Why?" enquired Toppin, with wide-open eyes. "Be-cause he try to drown you.
Besides, Toppin kept quiet when commanded to, while the March Hare fought and struggled, and had to have his head thumped severely. Fortunately the steps were not far off, and Jack awaited them there. He was frightened when he saw that Toppin's familiar little pink face had changed to an ivory-white, and that his eyes were shut. Was he senseless, or worse?
He had been down below toppin' things up with a last soak of neat whisky, and now he had the shakes on him, or the beginnings of 'em. "You know the sayin', 'A fisherman's walk two steps, an' overboard'? . . . I tell you I was in misery for the man. Any moment he might lurch overboard, or else throw himself over one as likely as another with a poor chap in that state.
I vote we sign a petition in favour of him. It will really be hard cheese if he's made to suffer." "Toppin, here!" The boy was chanting over his spelling, but he hopped up promptly at his elder brother's call. "They say they are going to get up a petition to have you let off the sentence for our room, because you didn't eat any chicken." "Oh, I'd hate to be let off!" exclaimed Toppin.
"Don't let's hev another 'thout somethin' between," said Dan; and the accordion struck up a rattling, catchy tune that ended: "It's six an' twenty Sundays sence las' we saw the land, With fifteen hunder quintal, An' fifteen hunder quintal, 'Teen hunder toppin' quintal, 'Twix' old 'Queereau an' Grand!" "Hold on!" roared Tom Platt. "D'ye want to nail the trip, Dan?
Although the March Hare was the first to lay hold of Toppin's crest, the next minute he was himself in need of rescue. The Hare had only advanced to the swimming stage when both hands and feet are absolutely necessary, and the pause to seize his friend had sufficed, when combined with the weight of his garments, to sink him; so Toppin dived for the second time, in company with the March Hare.
"If you were an English boy you'd never think of asking such a thing," Toppin went on, tramping up and down as he talked. He really did not want to be unkind to the Hare, but requests like this vexed him sorely. "Don't you see, Harey, there are some people who will kiss me, and I can't stop them like Miss Turner, f'r instance." Miss Turner was the matron.
"Then you think you were right to push him in, Armitage? I don't. Shall we ask Anderson's opinion?" "No, Jack, I beg and implore you to keep it dark. Of course I should never do it again. But Simmons and Bacon have sworn not to bring me into the affair. Toppin knows it was his own fault, and is a bit ashamed of it. There's only the March Hare besides yourself.
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