“Goodness, no! We cannot take such chances; but—er—ah!—I think it would be a good plan for me to—er—just drop around there and see if it is a—ah!—suitable place for you boys to visit. Ahem!”
It was with no little difficulty the boys kept their faces straight, for they felt a strong inclination to burst into laughter. Indeed, Frank gave Ephraim such a comical wink that the boy from Vermont fairly doubled up in his effort to hold in, and then gave an explosive snort.
“What’s that?” roared the professor, jumping and whirling about. “Are you laughing at me, sir?”
“I ain’t larfin’,” declared Ephraim.
“Then what are you doing, sir?”
“I’m cryin’.”
“Crying?”
“Yep.”
“Why are you crying?”
“Because yeou won’t take us with ye to this air Moulin Rouge. Boo-hoo!”