“What will your mother say?” said his companion once disapprovingly.
William received the remark with scornful silence.
When they returned to the Brown homestead Georgie was as immaculate as when he had set out, while William bore many and visible marks of his fallings into the ditch and on to the road and swinging on gates and climbing trees.
“William!” said Mrs. Brown, “you look awful ... and look at Georgie—how clean and neat he is still.”
“Yes,” said Georgie looking at William with marked distaste, “I told him not to. I said you wouldn’t like it, but he wouldn’t take any notice of me.”
******
The next day William met the Outlaws by appointment and gloomily told them the worst.
“And he’s come to live here,” he ended with passionate disgust, “him and his white suits.”
“And we shall all have to have him to tea,” said Ginger.
“And our mothers’ll never stop talkin’ about him,” said Douglas.