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.
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