As he spoke George walked slowly towards the group of three boys who stood and watched him anxiously. They knew that George would stop at nothing once he was started and his offer to share the smell of the skunk with Fred gave them ample cause for alarm. Fred was the one most worried and he really had good reason for his alarm, for he knew that George would like nothing better than to rub up against him and inflict the awful odor on him too.
“You keep away from me, Pop!” cried Fred uneasily.
“Don’t you like me?” grinned George.
“Oh, yes, I love you,” exclaimed Fred, knowing well that whatever he might say it would be exactly the wrong thing.
“Then let me hug you,” urged George, advancing steadily nearer.
“I’ll hit you over the head with this rock.”
“Why, Fred, how unkind of you; I really am surprised.”
“You’ll be worse than that if you don’t keep away,” warned Fred, but he backed away a few feet as he saw George steadily approaching.
“Let’s get out of here,” whispered John to Grant and unnoticed by George they withdrew and made their way back to the fire.
“Pop certainly has Fred worried now all right,” laughed John.