Peter's Goat
answered adoringly, but Peter thought she meant that he was stupid. She had told him about Tony and of the wicked thing she did in the dark to frighten him (she knew quite well that it was wicked), but Peter misunderstood her meaning and said, ‘Oh, how I wish I was as brave as Tony!’
It quite irritated her. ‘You are twenty thousand times braver than Tony,’ she said; ‘you are ever so much the bravest boy I ever knew.’
He could scarcely believe she meant it, but when he did believe he screamed with joy.
‘And if you want very much to give me a kiss,’ Maimie said, ‘you can do it.’
Very reluctantly Peter began to take the thimble off his finger. He thought she wanted it back.
‘I don’t mean a kiss,’ she said hurriedly, ‘I mean a thimble.’
‘What’s that?’ Peter asked.
‘It’s like this,’ she said, and kissed him.
‘I should love to give you a thimble,’ Peter said gravely, so he gave her one. He gave her quite a number of thimbles, and then a delightful idea came into his head. ‘Maimie,’ he said, ‘will you marry me?’
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