“Whatever you do, boys, don’t leave Bob to stiffen in his coils on that raft,” Will meekly suggested.
Charles and Stephen were so eager to have some one side with them that they took it for granted that Will, for very weariness, was now in favor of punishment; and Stephen, on the spur of the moment, made this startling observation:
“Why not do with Bob as he did with my dog? He has got himself all in a jumble on the raft—let us give him a ride up and down the river. It will be good for his constitution.”
Strangely enough, this idea was favorably received by the boys. They laughed, and applauded Stephen.
“It would be a very light punishment,” he continued, pressing home his advantage. “Don’t you all agree to it? Come, Will, what is your opinion?”
“It was you Bob was molesting, Steve, and you must stir up your conscience to see what it says, and then go ahead,” Will answered. “You put it very mildly, but I suppose your meaning is, to cram Bob into Carlo’s prison, untangle the rope, and then float him around as he floated Carlo around.”
“Y-e-s,” Steve assented, somewhat discomposed at this plain statement of his views.
“I’m tired of all this,” George exclaimed, with a sigh. “Fire ahead, Steve, and do whatever you like.”
“Hurrah, then,” Charlie cried gladly, “let us give Bob an airing.”