Finally, George had something to say. "What about Joe?"
Orville had been almost dancing as he spoke, enchanted with his own words. He pulled up short when George spoke. "What about him?"
"I want to live with him again," George said.
"He's gone, you know that." Orville pointed his fingers alongside his ears.
"Hee-haw, hee-haw. The monthly ferry will take him to the mainland tomorrow."
"I don't care about that," George said. "I want him there."
Orville said, "I don't think that's such a good idea, George. You're going away to concentrate on you — Joe's a handful, even now. I don't want you distracted."
George said, "I want Joe."
Orville stared at him. George set his face into a blank mask. Finally, Orville said, "If that's what you want, that's what you'll get."
#
George didn't have anything to fetch from the cabin, and Orville thought it would be best if he spoke to Bill alone, so he sent George to the stables to get Joe.