“If that’s a joke, may I never see another! 53 It is a phantom! It’s a nightmare! It’s something that comes to you in a bad dream.”
“What?” demanded Chet, suddenly shaking Short and Long by the collar.
“Don’t, Chetwood,” begged Billy. “I’m not strong. I’m sea-sick. That thing yonder has queered me––”
“What thing?” asked Laura. “We don’t see the joke, Billy.”
“There you go again—calling a serious thing like that a joke,” cried the small boy. “Look at it—at the wheel of the Duchess! How ever did it crawl aboard? I bet a cent it’s been living in the bottom of the lake for years and years, and has come up to the light of day for the first time now.”
“You ridiculous thing!” snapped Lily Pendleton. “Do you mean Prettyman Sweet?”
“My goodness gracious Agnes!” gasped Billy. “That’s never Purt Sweet? Don’t tell me he’s disguised himself for a nigger minstrel show in that fashion?”
They were all laughing at the unconscious Purt by now—all save Lily; and Chet said, gravely:
“There is something the matter with your eyesight, Short and Long. That’s Purt in a brand new outing suit.”
“He didn’t dress like that to go camping?” 54 murmured Billy. “Say not so! Somebody dared him to do it!”