"I didn't pick it up—I was only telling you what Horrors said," Garth rejoined, somewhat aggrieved. "And I asked him what was, and he said, 'Soap, an' scrubbin', an' all that rot!' He says Mr. Gordon never bothered him about things like that and he wishes he was back."
"I don't doubt it," said Tom. "Under Gordon Horrors seems to have done little except wax fat!"
"He isn't nearly as fat as he looks," Garth said. "He wears all the clothes he's got at once. He's got three suits on now, and lots of other things as well."
"Good gracious!". said Aileen. "But why?"
"I asked him, and he said 'cause then he knew where they were."
"Which nobody can deny," said Tom. "Now we understand why Horrors isn't what you might term lissom. Do you think you could speak to him like a mother, Aileen?"
"It's almost the only thing I don't feel like when I look at Horrors," she said. "No—I think it would come better from you. Be brave."
"We pay for his clothes, so I suppose we have a right to expect that he doesn't wear them out in batches," remarked Tom. "Did you gather whether he ever takes any of them off, Garth?"
"Only the top layer, if he gets very wet," Garth said. "But he said he fell into the creek one day before we came, and got soaked right through."
"He must have hated that!"