Still Bradley failed to tumble, and his perplexity added to the merriment of the dark-eyed girl.
“He’s a wonder, Billy is!” exclaimed Ted. “But just wait till he springs these conundrums and see how he will convulse everybody.”
“The ’ardest kind of soap,” muttered Bradley, wrinkling his brows. “Castile is the ’ardest kind hof soap.”
“Why, of course,” said the girl. “Steel is hard, isn’t it? He made it plain enough. Cast steel, Mr. Bradley, don’t you see?”
“Ow-wow!” gasped Billy. “Dear me! I hunderstand!”
“Let me whisper something in your ear,” said Ted. “Those are strictly new. I don’t think any one here has ever heard them before. If you want to bump this bunch good and hard, just spring them.”
“Hall right,” said Billy. “Hif Hi hever get a chance Hi’ll double them up.”
Ted went on his way, and soon he had the entire party puzzling over the answers to his conundrums, which he sprang one after another.
Suddenly Chip Jolliby unfolded himself and rose by sections to his full height.
“Wait a minute!” he cried. “I have a gug-gug-gug-good one!”