At that moment Georgie, imagining that William and Ginger had heralded his approach with all ceremony, came proudly into view from behind the bushes, followed by Douglas and Henry. The mud from the pond was a peculiarly concentrated kind of mud and Georgie had wallowed in it from head to foot. One could only guess at his white suit and glinting curls. But through it shone Georgie’s eyes in rapturous anticipation of a two pound box of chocolate creams.
William and Ginger gazed at him in well simulated horror.
“Oh, Georgie, you naughty boy!” said William.
“What will your mother say?” said Ginger.
Douglas and Henry stepped forward.
“We told him not to,” said Douglas.
“We knew you wouldn’t like it,” said Henry to the speechless Mrs. Murdoch.
Georgie felt that something had gone wrong somewhere but he was determined to do his part at any rate to win those chocolate creams.
He looked at Henry and Douglas. “Oh, Dam and Blarst——” he began, but the uproar drowned the rest.
With a scream of horror audible a mile away Mrs. Murdoch seized the perfect little gentleman by the arm and hurried him indoors.