“I hope so, Syd; and I know all my friends do, too,” Ben replied.
“Hoping’s cheap.”
Ben turned away. “Isn’t it cool enough yet?” he called to Mundon.
“Reckon it is,” said Mundon. “Now, when I knock off the cover, we got to jump back quick as lightnin’. The fumes of quicksilver’s deadly, you know.”
“All right. Knock her off!” Ben responded.
“You folks better stand well back,” Mundon said to the others.
He struck the cover a few hard blows, and as it flew off they sprang back to a place of safety.
“Whew! This is being an alchemist with a vengeance! Fancy our turning that old rubble into gold!” Ben said to Mundon, who was holding him by the arm. “O, I say, isn’t it time to see, now?”
“I guess so. Come along.”