Andy hung up his toothbrush. He tried to get past Jerry but Jerry grabbed him. It was like holding a small wild animal but Jerry held on. "Nobody's going to be hard on you, Andy. I know you were in the Bullfinch house playing that record."
"Nobody knows where I am but me," said Andy.
"How did you get all that coal dust on you? You got it crawling in the window into the Bullfinch coalbin, didn't you?"
"I have a mineral collection that has a piece of coal in it. Some of the black must have rubbed off on me. That must have been it. I'm a very dirty boy. Every speck of dirt sticks to me. Mummy said so. She says I'm as dirty as a pig. Is a pig dirtier than a skunk, Jerry?"
Jerry said he thought that skunks weren't usually dirty.
"Remember that time we were out in the car and Daddy said he smelled skunk? Phew! It was an awful smell."
"Andy," called his mother from the foot of the stairs. "You get to bed. Double quick now."
"Jerry won't let me."
"Stop bothering your little brother, Jerry. Come on down. I'm sure you have homework to do."
Andy slid out of Jerry's hold and ran down the hall. "You can't catch me," he yelled.