--non-grammar-eesh?"

"No,--stupid," said Toppin.

_"Uhei!"_ This sorrowfully. Then, drawing nearer, "But no mind! I love
you--oh, yes, I love you a great well, Top-peen! Shall we--shall we
keess?"

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.

[Illustration]

"If you were an English boy you'd never think of asking such a thing,"
Toppin went on, tramping up and down as he talked. He really did not
want to be unkind to the Hare, but requests like this vexed him sorely.
"Don't you see, Harey, there are some people who will kiss me, and I
can't stop them--like Miss Turner, f'r instance." Miss Turner was the
matron. "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.

"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.

"Be-cause he try to drown you. I am--what is it?--to re-venge it!"

"What awful rot you talk!" said Toppin. "He only did what I told him,
same as you would have done."

"Oh no, he had ver' wickedness. Ever'body say he had. I am telling
many--one after one, by secret! And he is a debboy. Zey are more angry
for zat. So much better!"

"Rubbish!" cried Toppin impatiently. "You've no business to tell anyone
anyth