"What was it you were about to inquire, my good woman?" asked the Private Secretary.
"Why, what should I inquire, my good man," replied the Widow, "if not to ask what is this thing here on the plate?"
"That, madam," said the Private Secretary, "is a boat."
"A boat? A boat?"
The Private Secretary nodded.
"Can't you read the name?" he asked.
So the Widow Pickle peered closely through her glasses and saw that there was a name printed in small shining letters on one end of the boat. "The Gee-Whiz Submarine Express!" cried the Widow. "But, alack! how small it is. Why, it is not as long as my foot, and I was always thought in my time to have a very small foot, too!"
The Private Secretary smiled in a knowing manner.
"Perhaps, mamma," said Zuzu, "you have overlooked something in some other box."
"Zuzu, you have a good mind for one so young," said his mother. "I will look in the cupboard again." So again she began rummaging around, and at length she found another box, a square one, covered over with dust, showing that it had not been opened for a long time. The first box had held a pale-blue powder, but this one was filled nearly to the lid with a light-green powder. On the top of this box, written in the hand of Aurelius Pickle, was the inscription, "Magic Powder of Gee-Whiz." When the Widow Pickle saw this, she gave an exclamation of joy.