"I think so, too!" agreed Herbert.
So the two boys did not try to jump over the stream, but waited on the edge of it for Carlo to catch up to them. Along came the fussy little dog, barking and yelping, for he did not like to be left very far behind. And on his back, still bobbing about, was the Monkey on a Stick. No, I am wrong. The Monkey was not on his Stick just then. Herbert had taken him off to give him a ride. It was easy to take the Monkey off his Stick and put him back on.
Up ran Carlo; and as soon as he saw the brook full of water what did that little dog do but start to run right into it!
"Oh, look out! Stop him!" cried Herbert. "He'll get my Monkey all wet and spoil him!"
"Come back, Carlo! Come back!" ordered Dick, making a jump toward his pet.
But Carlo had no idea of going too deep into the brook. He just wanted to get a drink. So he waded in only a little way, stopping just before the dangling feet of the Monkey would have got wet.
"Oh, I guess he isn't going to roll in the water," said Dick. "Sometimes he does that—just rolls right over in it like a fish."
"If he did that now, with my Monkey on his back, he'd spoil him," said Herbert. "I'm glad he didn't."
Carlo lapped the cool water up with his red tongue, and then he waded out of the brook and toward the boys. He seemed to be asking them:
"What shall we do next? That was fun—giving the Monkey a ride. But what shall we do next?"