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"I want to hear the truth of this affair, Brady," he began in a confidential undertone. "Did you see it happen?" "Which part? I saw the March Hare leap in with his hat on his head and his towel on his arm. He did look properly mad, I can tell you!" "I mean before that, when Toppin went under." "They say he actually took a dive from the board, don't they?"
"Brankley is some connosser I will admit," he conceded grudgingly, "but Kissiwasti's got orl th' 'toppin orf wot's good fur 'im dahn Regina 'e went through a reg'lar course dahn there took 'is degree, so t' speak. . . . I uster tike an' 'ang 'is kydge hup in that little gallery in th' ridin school of a mornin' when Inspector Chappell, th' ridin' master wos breakin' in a bunch o' rookies 'toppin' orf, wot? . . ."
"Well, then, up with your hands same as you saw the other two." Toppin lifted them high, the tips of his fingers met in the approved style, and he took a long breath. Then, gradually, his hands fell back to his sides, and the breath ended in a sigh. Armitage pushed the child impatiently aside. "Get away, you silly little coward! I'm not going to waste my time standing over you.
"And then there are some I've got to kiss, like aunts and people. But one doesn't put in any extra, if one can help it. When I'm grown-up I sha'n't have to kiss anybody, and that'll be jolly. I shall never, never kiss at all, only shake hands or bow, like Escombe does." "Top-peen, you did keess me once time, last week!" The Hare was timidly reproachful now. Toppin stood still and coloured.
For perhaps a minute he said nothing. When at last he spoke, it was to say that the shadow vessels had not been there since daylight. "What?" I said, in some surprise. "How do you know?" "I woke up when they were searching for Toppin," he replied. "I've not been asleep since. I came here, right away." He began to say something further; but stopped short. "Yes," I said encouragingly.
"Cast a line round him till we've stowed. Jim, take hold of her; she's falling off! Shove her to the wind again till we're done! Now, lads, all of you on to the sheet! Haul! oh, haul! Slack away them toppin' lifts. So; now we've got her! Where's Bob?" "Doctor's got him below, skipper."
Toppin shook his head decidedly, and jumped off the gate in a hurry. "That's the second time since Sunday you've wanted to kiss, and I've told you over and over again I hate it, I don't like it! I never want to kiss! Now, do you understand?" The March Hare was sadly afraid he did.
"Hullo, what sport!" he exclaimed. "Andy's given us the slip!" "Be joyful! Let's race for the best boxes!" said Armitage. "We shall be in the water long before the other slow-coaches have reached the baths. One, two, three off!" Now Toppin was one of the group behind, and being naturally fleet of foot, a race was a thing he could not resist. So he took to his heels and pursued them.
"Quick!" yelled Jack, "or there'll be two drowned! Shall I come?" But the pair had risen again, and were clutched and violently wrenched apart by Armitage and Bacon. For the March Hare's grip of the red locks was very tight. Bacon found Toppin fairly easy to land, but the Hare, in full walking costume, was quite another matter, and Simmons's help was required.
Durward's brow darkened as he replied in the affirmative, while Joel continued: "We are from the same town, and used to think a sight of each other, but when I seen her in Kentucky, I thought she'd got to be mighty toppin'. Mebby, though, 'twas only my notion."
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