“What remark was that, May?” questioned Jack curiously.
“They were talking about something Stowell was going to do, and Flanders said, ‘Use a pillowcase or a flour bag and it will be all right.’ And a minute later I heard him say, ‘They’ll look like Negroes,’ and he laughed.”
“What’s that?” came from Jack and Fred simultaneously, and they exchanged glances.
“Why, what’s the matter?” cried Spouter’s cousin in astonishment.
“Tell us about that again, May,” went on the young major, and the girl repeated her story.
“That solves the whole mystery!” declared Jack.
“It’s as plain as daylight,” responded the young captain.
“Will you kindly tell us what you’re talking about?” remarked Ruth, in wonder.
“I sure will, Ruth. We weren’t going to say anything at first because the joke was on us, but now I think the joke is going to be on somebody else,” replied Jack. And thereupon he gave the particulars of how he and his cousins had been doused with a bag of soot.