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Updated: May 27, 2025
"I wonder what it's going to be," Marmaduke repeated. Jehosophat was pretty sure he knew. "I'll bet it's a boat," he said. The Toyman chuckled. "Right you are, Son. It's the Good Ship well, let's see. All boats have a name, you know. What do you think would be a good name for a fine ship?" Jehosophat had one, right on the tip of his tongue. "The Arrow." The Toyman thought this over.
I can understand it in the city, where you can't speak to a soul without his putting his hand on his watch, but here there's always a lot of folks with beaks and claws and tails, and all kinds o' tongues an' dialecks, that you don't need any introduction to, to say 'howdy!" But Marmaduke remembered that morning and how the Toyman had seemed in trouble.
That is what Marmaduke calls it, though the Toyman says it is a weeping willow. It's leaves are a very pretty green, much lighter than the leaves of the other trees. And the branches bend over till they reach the water. They really do look like showers of tears. Sometimes little leaves fall into the water and float away like silver-green boats, rowed by tiny fairies.
So they kissed her and hugged her too. Now the froggies were singing their evening song. The sun was getting close to his home in the west. Little Duckie and his real mother and father came out of the water and waddled off towards the barn. The Swans folded their wings and came to the shore. So the Toyman brought the ship to the harbour and anchored her for the night. It was the first snowfall.
That's a good one!" The Toyman was forever saying that and laughing at the funny things the children said. Hepzebiah, thinking that this was a nice sort of a game, took her finger out of her mouth and pointed again this time out at the pond where the swans were sailing, like pretty white ships themselves. "The very thing," exclaimed the Toyman. "White Swan's a fine name for a boat!"
But the music was sounding out in the big tent just next them drums and horns and bugles and fifes. The circus would start in a minute now and all the fun would be over. "Where's your ticket, Sonny?" asked Tody. "I haven't any," Marmaduke explained. "I've lost the Toyman and he's got my ticket an' an' I can't go in." "Don't you worry about that. You'll have the best seat in the whole circus."
The pocket-book was a late present from Mrs Western to her niece; it had cost five-and-twenty shillings, having been bought of a celebrated toyman; but the real value of the silver which it contained in its clasp was about eighteen-pence; and that price the said toyman, as it was altogether as good as when it first issued from his shop, would now have given for it.
Now and then one of the drivers spoke roughly to the horses. And sometimes Marmaduke heard strange noises like the sleepy growls of wild animals. Perhaps they were in those wagons! Then Marmaduke laughed. He knew what it was. They were circus wagons! The circus was coming to town! The Toyman had told him all about it, that very day. Once, one of the animals roared and the others answered back.
Under the big oak by the brook sat the three happy children with Rover, Brownie, and little yellow Wienerwurst. They were watching the Toyman cut the ripe corn. "Isn't that funny?" said Jehosophat. "What's funny?" asked Marmaduke. "Wot's funny?" repeated Hepzebiah. "Oh! I was just thinking," said Jehosophat, "how he seems just Frank when he's ploughing or harrowing or cutting the corn.
For the Tall Enemy had been the Toyman all the time and the six silent soldiers were only made of snow. Behind his heels they trudged into the house. But the Toyman had to carry the littlest soldier in his arms. She was very cold and very tired. But the three happy children ate a very good dinner and a very good supper too, that day, for they were very hungry.
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