Gerson opened his mouth, but he was apparently too surprised to answer for a moment. Then he shook his head.
"No-o, but maybe, with all that time...."
"Well, Don, you can certainly read, if you feel like it," Lonigan went on. "Because we've put plenty of good, solid books on the island for you. There's fiction, of course, and textbooks on history, and encyclopedias.... Now, what do you think you could do with all that information in those books?"
"Well...."
"I'll tell you what you'd better do, Don." Lonigan's eyes flicked to the studio clock, and his voice speeded up imperceptibly. "Read up, Don boy. Because we're going to bring you into this studio two months from now, when our program resumes in the fall season. And we're going to ask you a dozen questions about things that have been happening in the meantime—people, places, and current events. If you can't answer at least six of those questions right, we'll be awfully sorry!"
The audience roared again.
"But if you can answer them, just six out of the dozen, you'll Win-a-Mint!" Again the theme music. "Now, Don, how about it? Think you can do it?"
"I'll try, sir." Gerson looked a little pale, but resolute.
"All right, folks, give our new Robinson Crusoe a big hand, and be sure you're watching when we bring him back to try to Win-a-Mint!" And the clock blinked a red light. Right on the button, Lonigan thought.