“And me,” said Fatty, “carrying it around all that day at Camp! What if I fell? I might have!”
“Sure you might!” Ernest agreed. “'And great would be the fall thereof,’ as some eminent author has said.”
“And it might have exploded!” said Fatty in a hushed voice.
“Would have exploded; not might have,” corrected Ernest.
“And Jack did the only, the one thing that could make it harmless—dropped it in the water,” said Eddie. “Well, I never was so thankful in my life!”
“I want my eraser and pencils back,” declared Fatty. “Give ’em over!”
“Let me see it, Ed,” said Ernest, taking it with a good deal of respect. He examined the top, gave it a slight twist, and the end came off in his hand.
Sure enough, there were two pencils and Fatty’s cherished eraser.
“Well, I declare!” exclaimed Ernest.
“I want to get somewhere there is a telephone,” said Eddie, “and put dad out of his misery. He will worry for fear we are all blown up.”