Off in a Tearing Tandem

A cat wearing a feathered hat rides a penny-farthing, towing three kittens on roller-skates. The full verse reads:

“Oh, dear Papa!” three children cried,
“You promised don’t you know?
That next when you should take a ride
All three of us should go.”
“I DID,” that father said. “You know
I never speak at random.
So get your roller-skates. We’ll go
Off in a tearing tandem!”