“So, Pip, are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to guess?”

“Just get me down, Merry.”

“Something tells me that I should hear this story first. I think if I get you out of this predicament first you’ll do your usual fine job of avoiding all the fun little details of your adventure by scampering off as fast as possible or distracting me. No, Pip, this one I want to hear.”

“But Merry, this really is uncomfortable! I’ve been up here most of the afternoon, I think, and . . . well, it’s hurting me.”

Merry shook his head as he looked at his cousin. His toes were only about six inches off the ground. “Just pull your arms out of your sleeves and you’ll slip out of your jacket and be fine. You’re barely off the ground.”

“I thought of that myself, Merry. I’m not that daft. But it wouldn’t work as they hooked the waist of my breeches over a nail or a hook or something behind me. If you must know, ‘tis my privates as are hurting, and rather badly. Please, Merry. Help me down.”

Merry almost relented, but not quite. “No. The story first, then I help you out of this mess. So if you’re hurting, you had best hurry it up.”

“Fine. Freddy, Ferdi and I spent the morning daring each other. Now get me down.”

“Usually a foolish thing for you to do.” Merry was shaking his head. “Not enough. Go on.”

“Yes, well, I dared Ferdi to scare the birds out of this field and he ran about making a grand amount of noise and flapping his arms about and such. But the birds were having none of it. They squawked and cawed then started diving at him.”

“That sounds rather funny.”

“Well, ‘twas funny to me at least, I got the hiccoughs from laughing. Seems it wasn’t as funny to Ferdi, nor to Freddy for that matter. They both got most put out with me and said did I think I could do better. I said ‘of course I can’ and they got this rather strange look in their eyes and nearly before I knew what was what, they had this one pole stuck through my jacket and were dragging me over to this other pole. They took down the scarecrow and hung me up here instead. They said they hooked my breeches so as to keep my arms from getting too sore holding me up, which sounded like a nice thing at first, but it really wasn’t. Then they stood about for a while, to see if I scared the birds they said, but I didn’t as you can see.” Pippin turned his head a bit from side to side to look at the two crows and a pigeon that were sleeping perched on his arms. “And then they said ‘twas time for luncheon and off they went.” Pippin put on his most injured, soulful look. “I think they forgot me, Merry, and,” he squirmed a bit, “it really is hurting me, Merry. So could you please get me down?”

Merry did an admirable job of hiding his laughter. “Yes. Here, sit on my shoulders,” Merry said as he moved into place. “And I’ll . . . just . . . reach up behind you and . . . there! Your breeches are free. Can you pull your arms free?”

“No, Merry, I’m sorry. They’ve gone to sleep on me.”

“All right. Ah. Let me unbutton your jacket . . . there. Now if I get down on my knees your arms should slide out.”

“They are, Merry! They’re out!”

Merry fell forward onto his chest as Pippin’s full weight shifted onto his shoulders. Pippin almost landed on Merry’s head but he had fallen sideways as well as forward. Merry got to his knees and looked at his cousin. Pippin just lay there and moaned. “Can’t move. I’m all tingly.” Merry got to his feet then hoisted the lad up so that Pip was draped over his left shoulder with head and arms dangling down Merry’s back.

“I’m really looking forward to hearing you explain this to your Da, Pip,” Merry said brightly as he started to walk out of the field.

Pippin just moaned.