He too held the offending bag up near his nose; it hardly needed words to tell what his verdict was, for his face became screwed up in a manner that could only stand for condemnation.
“Giraffe, I’m with you!” he observed, as he hastened to give the bag to Smithy, next in line.
And so it went the rounds, even the grinning Bumpus being allowed to have his chance at declaring what he thought.
“Well, I should say it was bad,” the fat boy remarked, as he held it close, and kept sniffing away vigorously. “If that’s the stuff I don’t wonder you fellows kept kicking up such a row about it. But it was mean to pick on me for nothing. I tell you these old clothes ain’t so very tough after all. Maybe you’ll get down on your ham-bones now, and tell me how sorry you all are. Maybe you’ll be begging me to let you come back in the boat with you, Giraffe; but don’t bother, because I’m agoing to stick with Thad. He never took a mean advantage of me like some or the rest did, just because I’m little and can’t stand up for myself. Huh! who’s so smart now, tell me?”
Giraffe and Davy answered him not a word. No doubt, just then they really felt humiliated, as though conscience stricken, in that they had accused and condemned poor Bumpus without a hearing.
“But what’s going to be done about it?” asked Smithy. “We surely can’t think of carrying those offensive onions along with us any more, after all the trouble they’ve gone and made for us.”
“Course not, they’ve just got to go!” declared Davy, positively.
Giraffe looked unhappy.
“And me so fond of fried onions I always said I’d never be caught camping without some along,” he whimpered, mournfully.
“But you’re the one that made the biggest fuss of the whole lot!” cried Bumpus; “why, you even made me nervous, and I was afraid my fighting blood would be worked up soon, if things kept on like they were. Sure you couldn’t vote to keep the old things, after Thad’s found out what they stand for?”