"Oh, if only I do not have to rock on my bold friend!" thought the
White Horse.

"Gid-dap! Gid-dap!" cried Tad again, and he made the Horse go faster
and faster.

Nearer and nearer the rockers went to the Bold Tin Soldier. He
wanted to shout aloud, but that was against the rules. And the Horse
wanted to stop and turn about, and that, also, was against the
rules, as long as Tad was there. As for the boy himself, I don't
really believe he would have done it if he had seen what was going
to happen.

But he was so excited at being on the back of the Horse that he did
not look down at the floor where the Bold Tin Soldier lay. And a
moment later the Horse rocked, with a crunching sound, right over
his friend!



CHAPTER VIII

A BUNCH OF SWEETNESS


The Bold Tin Soldier wanted to shout aloud and yell when he felt the
rockers of the White Rocking Horse going over him. But he was a
truly brave chap, and he knew it would never do to let that careless
boy Tad know a Tin Soldier could pretend to be alive.