"Top-peen, you did keess me once time, last week!" The Hare was timidly reproachful now.
Toppin stood still and coloured.
"Yes, I did. Because you bovvered me to, and—and you'd jumped in after me!"
"And shallent you—not ever—keess me once time more?"
"Oh—well—look here! Perhaps when it's your birthday, if we get somewhere quite secret, where nobody can possibly see us, I—I'll let you have one—a quick one!"
"T-thanks you!" said the grateful Hare.
"It's 'thanks', or else 'thank you'," corrected Toppin.
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.