William, who by this time hated Georgie with a hatred which was the more bitter because Georgie was robbing him of a whole afternoon which might have been spent with his beloved Outlaws, led Georgie into the garden. They walked down to the bottom of the garden. Then William said distantly:
“What would you like to play at?”
“Don’t mind,” said Georgie.
“Hide an’ Seek?” said William.
This puerile suggestion was intended as a subtle insult, but Georgie took it seriously. He considered it in silence and at last said, “No, thank you. Hide and Seek generally ends in getting so rough.”
For a moment William had not believed his ears, but Georgie added calmly:
“It generally ends by being a very nasty rough game.”
William swallowed and gazed at him helplessly. Then he suggested, more out of curiosity than from any other reason:
“Like to play Red Indians?”
“Red Indians?” queried that astounding child as if he had not heard of the game before.