from head to foot.

Then he said a lot of things very quickly--"foreign language" as
Judy called it; kicked something over, and shouted "Esther!" in a
terrifying tone. But Esther was down in one of the paddocks with
the General, so there was no reply.

More foreign language, more stomping about.

Bunty's teeth chattered noisily; he put up his hand to hold
his mouth together, and the cupboard, overbalanced, fell right
over, precipitating its occupant right at his father's feet,
and the bottles everywhere.

"I didn't--I haven't--'twasn't me--'twasn't my fault!" he
howled, backing towards the door. "Hoo--yah--boo-hoo-ooo!
Esther--boo--yah--Judy--oh--oh--h! oh--oh--h--h--h--h!"
As might be expected, his father had picked up a strap that
lay conveniently near, and was giving his son a very fair
taste of it.

"Oh--h--h--h! o--o--h! o--o--h! ah--h--h! 'twasn't me--'twasn't my
fault--its Pip and Judy--oh--h--h--h! hoo--the pant'mime! boo-hoo!
ah--h--h--h--you're killing me! hoo-boo! I was only d--doin'
it--oh--hoo--ah--h--h! d--oin' it to p--please--boo--oo--oo! to
p--please you!"

His father paused with uplifted strap. "And that's why all
the others are behaving in so strange a fashion? Just for me
to take them to the pantomime?"

Bunty wriggled himself free. "Boo--hoo--yes! but not me--I
didn't--I never--true's faith--oh-h-h-hoo-yah! it wasn't my
fault, it's all the others--boo--hoo--hoo! hit them the rest."

He got three more smart cuts, and then fled howling and yelling
to the nursery, where he fell on the floor and kicked and rolled
about as if he were half killed.

"You sn--n--n--n--neaks!" he sobbed, addressing the others,
who had flown from all parts at his noisy outcry, "you m-m--mean
p--p--p--pigs! I h--hadn't n--n--no fo--o--ow-l, and I've
h--h--had all the b--b--b--beating! y--you s--s--sn--n-neaks!
oh--h--h--h! ah--h--h--h! oh--h--h--h! oh--h--h-h! I'm b--b--bleeding
all over, I kno--o--o--ow!"

They couldn't help laughing a bit; Bunty was always so
irresistibly comic when he was hurt ever so little; but still
they comforted him as well as they could, and tried to find out
what had happened.

Esther came in presently, looking very worried. "Well?" they
said in a breath.

"You really are the most exasperating children," she said
vexedly.

"But the pantomime--quick, Esther--have you asked him?" they
cried impatiently.

"The pantomime! He says he would rather make it worth Mr.
Rignold'