This is George. He once lived in Africa. He was a good little monkey and always very curious. The man with the big yellow hat said, “George, I am going to take you to the suburbs on a big train. You will like it there.” The train ride was fun. When they got off the train, the man said, “Now run along and play, but don’t get into trouble.” George promised to be good. But it is easy for little monkeys to forget.
George saw many passengers waiting for trains and buses. Many people had books or papers. He saw a dark man with a long coat and low hat writing in a notebook. George watched. He was curious again. He felt he MUST have a paper, too. Just then, the wind blew the paper from the dark man’s book. George scooped up the paper and ran away down the platform. What a naughty little monkey. “Oh, catch him, catch him,” they cried.
George was scared. He ran past benches and chairs. He ran toward Willow Creek. “Stay away from the stone,” someone yelled. “Don’t go near the trees!” said another. So he ran up the poles and across the wires. What fun! Everyone was surprised. George didn’t know what to do, and then he heard someone call, “GEORGE!” He looked down and saw his friend, the man with the big yellow hat!
George was happy. The man was happy too. George slid down the pole and the man with the big yellow hat put him under his arm. They went to find the dark man, but he was gone. George looked at the paper. It said,
PFVPL WRPVL FVKIW IXRYQ GUFMI TZUEH
WSZNX GOVVS BAVVB KIRQW HWEWA INWVY
HHXYB LVVIQ SLSQQ TQOUW DRMAT TIASU
IURWB RQLKP KYKZV CTQ
“Oh!” said the man in the big yellow hat, “A running-key cipher. How clever! We must come back here someday and solve it, just for fun.” And then George and the man climbed into a car and at last away they went home. George was more careful to be a good monkey. After a good meal and a good pipe George felt very tired. He crawled into bed and fell asleep at once.