and if
the still more incredible paradox can be that ladies may differ over a
point on which they are agreed, that point was the admitted fact that
Tony Johnson was "delicate"; and the difference lay chiefly in this:
Mrs. Johnson said that Tony was delicate,--meaning that he was more
finely strung, more sensitive, a properer subject for pampering and
petting, than Jackanapes, and that, consequently, Jackanapes was to
blame for leading Tony into scrapes which resulted in his being chilled,
frightened, or (most frequently) sick. But when Miss Jessamine said that
Tony Johnson was delicate, she meant that he was more puling, less
manly, and less healthily brought up than Jackanapes, who, when they got
into mischief together, was certainly not to blame because his friend
could not get wet, sit a kicking donkey, ride in the giddy-go-round,
bear the noise of a cracker, or smoke brown paper with impunity, as he
could.

Not that there was ever the slightest quarrel between the ladies. It
never even came near it, except the day after Tony had been so very
sick with riding Bucephalus on the giddy-go-round. Mrs. Johnson had
explained to Miss Jessamine that the reason Tony was so easily upset was
the unusual sensitiveness (as a doctor had explained it to her) of the
nervous centers in her family--"Fiddlestick!" So Mrs. Johnson understood
Miss Jessamine to say; but it appeared that she only said
"Treaclestick!" which is quite another thing, and of which Tony was
undoubtedly fond.

It was at the Fair that Tony was made ill by riding on Bucephalus. Once
a year the Goose Green became the scene of a carnival. First of all,
carts and caravans were rumbling up all along, day and night. Jackanapes
could hear them as he lay in bed, and could hardly sleep for speculating
what booths and whirligigs he should find fairly established when he and
his dog Spitfire went out after breakfast. As a matter of fact, he
seldom had to wait so long for news of the Fair. The Postman knew the
window out of which Jackanapes's yellow head would come, and was ready
with his report.

"Royal Theayter, Master Jackanapes, in the old place, but be careful o'
them seats, sir; they're rickettier than ever. Two sweets and a ginger
beer under the Oak tree, and the Flying Boats is just a-coming along the
road."

No doubt it was partly because he had already suffered severely in the
Flying Boats that Tony collapsed so quickly in the giddy-go-round. He
only mounted