CHAPTER XXIX.
TOADY LION'S LITTLE WAYS.
Thus it was finally arranged. The castle was to be attacked by thecombined forces of Windy Standard and the gipsy camp the followingSaturday afternoon, which would give them the enemy in their fullestnumbers. Notice would be sent, so that they could not say afterwardsthat they had been taken by surprise. General Napoleon Smith was towrite the letter himself, but to say nothing in it about his newallies. That, as Cissy put it, "would be as good as a sixpennysurprise-packet to them."
So full was Hugh John of his new plan and the hope, now almost thecertainty, of success, that when he went home he could not helpconfiding in Prissy--who, like a model housewife, was seated mendingher doll's stockings, while Janet Sheepshanks attended to those of theelder members of the household.
She listened with quick-coming breath and rising colour, till HughJohn thought that his own military enthusiasm had kindled hers.
"Isn't it prime?--we'll beat them till they can't speak," said HughJohn triumphantly. "They'll never come back to our castle again afterwe finish with them."
But Priscilla was silent, and deep dejection gnawed dully at herheart.
"Poor things," she said thoughtfully; "perhaps they never had fathersto teach them, nor godfathers and godmothers to see that they learnedtheir Catechism."
"Precious lot mine ever did for me--only one old silver mug!" snortedHugh John.
Just then Toady Lion came in.
"Oh, Hugh John," he panted, in tremulous haste to tell some felltidings, "I so sorry--I'se broked one of the cannons, and it's yourcannon what I'se broked."
"What were you doing with my cannon?" inquired his brother severely.
"I was juss playin' wif it so as to save my cannons, and a great bidstone fell from the wall and broked it all to bits. I beg'oo pardon,Hugh John!"
"All right!" said Hugh John cheerfully; "you can give me one of yoursfor it."
Toady Lion stood a while silent, with a puzzled expression on hisface.
"That's not right, Hugh John," he said seriously; "I saided that I wassorry, and I begged 'oo pardon. Father says then 'oo must fordiv me!"
"Oh, I'll forgive you right enough," said Hugh John, "after I get thecannon. It's all the same to me which cannon I have."
"But _your_ cannon is broked--all to little bits!" said Toady Lion,trying to impress the fact on his brother's memory.
"Well, another cannon," said Hugh John--"I ain't particular."
"But the other cannons is all mine," explained Toady Lion, who hasstrong ideas as to the rights of property.
"No matter--one of them is mine now!" said his brother, snatching oneout of his arms.
Toady Lion began to cry with a whining whimper that carried far, andwith which in his time he had achieved great things.
It reached the ear of Janet Sheepshanks, busy at her stocking-mending,as Toady Lion intended it should.
"I declare," she cried, "can you not give the poor little boy what hewants? A great fellow like you pestering and teasing a child likethat. Think shame of yourself! What is the matter, Arthur George?"
"Hugh John tooked my cannon!" whimpered that young Machiavel.
"Haven't got your cannon, little sneak!" said Hugh John under hisbreath.
"Won't give me back my cannon!" wailed Toady Lion still louder,hearing Janet beginning to move, and knowing well that if he only keptit up she would come out, and, on principle, instantly take his part.Janet never inquired. She had a theory that the elder children werealways teasing and oppressing the younger, and she acted uponit--acted promptly too.
"I wants--" began Toady Lion in his highest key.
"Oh, take the cannon, sneak!" said Hugh John fiercely, "chucking" hislast remaining piece of artillery at Toady Lion, for Janet was almostin the doorway now.
Toady Lion burst into a howl.
"Oo-oo-ooooh!" he cried; "Hugh John hitted me on the head wif mycannon----"
"Oh, you bad boy, wait till I catch you, Hugh Picton Smith," criedJanet Sheepshanks, as the boy retreated precipitately through the openFrench window,--"you don't get any supper to-night, rascal that youare, never letting that poor innocent lamb alone for one minute."
In the safety of the garden walk Hugh John shook his fist at thewindow.
"Oh, golly," he said aloud; "just wait till Toady Lion grows up a bit.By hokey, won't I take this out of him with a wicket? Oh no--not atall!"
Now Toady Lion was not usually a selfish little boy; but this day ithappened that he was cross and hot, also he had a tooth which wasbothering him. And most of all he wanted his own way, and had a verygood idea how to get it too.
That same night, when Hugh John was wandering disconsolately withoutat the hour of supper, wondering whether Janet Sheepshanks meant tokeep her word, a small stout figure came waddling towards him. It wasToady Lion with the cover of a silver-plated fish-server in his hand.It was nearly full of a miscellaneous mess, such as children (and allhungry persons) love--half a fried sole was there, three large mealypotatoes, green peas, and a whole boiled turnip.
"Please, Hugh John," said Toady Lion, "I'se welly solly I broked yourcannon. I bringed you mine supper. Will 'oo forgive me?"
"All right, old chap," said the generous hero of battles instantly,"that's all right! Let's have a jolly feed!"
So on the garden seat they sat down with the fish-cover proppedbetween them, and ate their suppers fraternally and happily out of onedish, using the oldest implements invented for the purpose by thehuman race.