But he
managed to lean forward and shout in the ear of the Saw-Horse:
"Keep still, you fool! Keep still!"
The horse at once ceased struggling and floated calmly upon the surface, its
wooden body being as buoyant as a raft.
"What does that word 'fool' mean?" enquired the horse.
"It is a term of reproach," answered Tip, somewhat ashamed of the
expression. "I only use it when I am angry."
"Then it pleases me to be able to call you a fool, in return," said the
horse. "For I did not make
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the river, nor put it in our way; so only a term of, reproach is fit for one
who becomes angry with me for falling into the water."
"That is quite evident," replied Tip; "so I will acknowledge myself in the
wrong." Then he called out to the Pumpkinhead: "are you all right, Jack?"
There was no reply. So the boy called to the King "are you all right, your
majesty?"
The Scarecrow groaned.
"I'm all wrong, somehow," he said, in a weak voice. "How very wet this water
is!"
Tip was bound so tightly by the cord that he could not turn his head to look
at his companions; so he said to the Saw-Horse:
"Paddle with your legs toward the shore."
The horse obeyed, and although their progress was slow they finally reached
the opposite river bank at a place where it was low enough to enable the
creature to scramble upon dry land.
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