He knew that Fred would think such a show of emotion beneath him, and he saw the doctor looking at him curiously. Just the same, Bobby Blake was glad—oh, how glad!—many and many a time thereafter that he had bade his father good-by in just this way.
CHAPTER XI
GETTING ACQUAINTED
Pee Wee was the boy who first "took up" the chums from Clinton. The fat boy sat on the steps of the doctor's house, idly whistling and twiddling his fingers when Bobby and Fred came out. Perry Wise never stood when he could sit, and never walked when he could stand, and never ran when walking would get him to his goal just as well. He was the picture of peace just now.
"Hello, fellows!" he said.
"Hello!" returned Bobby.
"Is the Old Doc goin' to let you stay?" grinned the fat boy.
"Huh! why shouldn't he?" demanded Fred, quick to take offense.
"Cause you're so terrible green," chuckled Pee Wee. "They let the sheep loose sometimes to crop the lawn, and they might eat you."
"Aw—you're too smart," said the abashed Fred.