“I,” said Charlie, “one hundred.”
“Well, there’s so much to begin with. Now the question is, can we begin with that?”
“We will carry all these calculations to father,” said Charlie, “and ask him.”
It was dark when they arrived at the house.
“Why, boys,” said Ben, “where have you been all this time?”
“I should have thought,” said Sally, “hunger would have brought you home before this. I told Ben you must have camped again in the top of the old maple. I’m afraid you’ll have but a cold supper.”
“I declare,” said Charlie, “I never once thought about supper.”
“I thought I’d been to supper,” said John.
“You must have had some interesting matter on hand.”
“The most interesting thing in the world,” said Charlie.