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Well then, if you won't tell, when Hepzebiah put her two fists to her eyes, quick as a wink the Toyman placed three of his marbles in her pile, and when Marmaduke saw him do that, why he put in four, and Jehosophat, not to be outdone, slipped in five. "Better than slipping duck's eggs under the old hen, isn't it?" whispered Jehosophat to his brother, who agreed with a nod.
And whether or not that was the worst he ever said I do not know. I hope so. What could they be exclaiming about? Marmaduke! He was all alone as far as human beings went, for Jehosophat was putting axle-grease on his little red cart, and Hepzebiah was playing with Hetty, her rag doll, and the rest were busy at their tasks, as we have just seen. But he had some fine company, oh, yes, he had.
"Hepzebiah, you'll have to sit in the back with Marmaduke," commanded the owner of the little cart. So the little girl climbed over the back of the seat and sat with Marmaduke and Wienerwurst. And they helped Johnny in carefully, and off they drove up the lane, enjoying the woods and the nice warm sun. Johnny enjoyed it ever so much, but not more than they.
The two boys held their poles tight but the Toyman had to help little Hepzebiah hold her pole, for her hands were too small. "Now quiet, everybody!" said the Toyman once more and they all sat watching the red and blue, the yellow and blue, and the red and yellow floaters out on the water. "When the floater goes under, you will know that a fish is biting at the worm on the hook."
When he had finished he opened his fingers. In his palm was a round white ball. Then another he made and another. And the three little soldiers, Jehosophat, Marmaduke, and Hepzebiah, made lots too. They piled them in the corner of the fort, until they had a heap like the iron balls around the cannon in the town park. "Now," commanded the Toyman. "I'll watch and call when the enemy comes."
He was a great friend of theirs. They always liked the cheery way he hopped over the lawn, and his cheery red vest, and his song which always said: "Che-eer up che-eer up!" His eggs were the prettiest of all, a greenish blue, a robin's-egg blue, the dressmakers call it. Mother Green's summer dress was coloured just like it. And in a bush by the roadside, Hepzebiah spied the brown thrush's nest.
The Toyman tied the horses to the fence-rail and they all jumped out of the sleigh. He lifted little Hepzebiah, then started to help Marmaduke. "No, thank you," said that little boy, "I don't need any help," and, all alone, he climbed over the fence after his big brother.
They almost thought they could smell the surprise as well as the pies. It came at last, that is the surprise did, for, just after supper, the Toyman disappeared, probably to do some of his chores. A little while later there came a tap at the window. Marmaduke turned. Jehosophat turned. Hepzebiah turned. "Ooh, ooh!" said she; "Golly!" said Marmaduke; and "Gee whiz!", Jehosophat.
Jehosophat and Hepzebiah were sound asleep but not Marmaduke. He was sitting up, a little bit of a fellow in a big bed. Outside, old Giant Northwind roared and roared. Now he seemed to be running around and around the house, faster than any train. Now he stopped to knock at the door and bang at the window panes.
A moment more they looked at the little cart, its bright red body with the blue lines around it, the wheels and spokes, which were bright yellow, and the shafts and the whiffletrees, which were yellow too. Then they got in. Little Hepzebiah sat on the seat with Jehosophat. He proudly held the reins. Marmaduke sat behind, his legs hanging over the tail-board, with Wienerwurst wriggling on his lap.
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