in'! You know how I am when I get
started, Johnnie!" Here he turned upon William, tucking his fat arm
affectionately through William's thin one. "Hi, sport! Ole Johnnie's so
slow, YOU toddle me over and get me fixed up with this Miss Pratt, and
I'll tell her you're the real stuff--after we get engaged!"

He was evidently a true cloud-compeller, this horrible George.

XIX

"I DUNNO WHY IT IS"

William extricated his arm, huskily muttering words which were lost in
the general outcry, "Car's coming!" The young people poured out through
the gate, and, as the car stopped, scrambled aboard. For a moment
everything was hurried and confused. William struggled anxiously to push
through to Miss Pratt and climb up beside her, but Mr. George Crooper
made his way into the crowd in a beaming, though bull-like manner, and a
fat back in a purple-and-white "blazer" flattened William's nose, while
ponderous heels damaged William's toes; he was shoved back, and just
managed to clamber upon the foot-board as the car started. The friendly
hand of Joe Bullitt pulled him to a seat, and William found himself
rubbing his nose and sitting between Joe and Johnnie Watson, directly
behind the dashing Crooper and Miss Pratt. Mr. Crooper had already taken
Flopit upon his lap.

"Dogs are always crazy 'bout me," they heard him say, for his high voice
was but too audible over all other sounds. "Dogs and chuldren. I dunno
why it is, but they always take to me. My name's George Crooper, Third,
Johnnie Watson's cousin. He was tryin' to intradooce me before the car
came along, but he never got the chance. I guess as this shindig's
for you, and I'm the only other guest from out o' town, we'll have to
intradooce ourselves--the two guests of honor, as it were."

Miss Pratt laughed her silvery laugh, murmured politely, and turned no
freezing glance upon her neighbor. Indeed, it seemed that she was far
from regarding him with the distaste anticipated by William and Joe
Bullitt. "Flopit look so toot an' tunnin'," she was heard to remark.
"Flopit look so 'ittle on dray, big, 'normous man's lap."

Mr. Crooper laughed deprecatingly. "He does look kind of small compared
with the good ole man that's got charge of him, now! Well, I always was
a good deal bigger than the fellas I went with. I dunno why it is, but
I was always kind of quicker, too, as it were--and the strongest in any
crowd I ever got with. I'm kind of musclebound, I guess, but I don't let