Purt, looking greatly abashed, hauled out a saturated case of seal leather and displayed nine of the pulpy looking things.
"So you only smoked one of them to-day?" was the next demand.
"And he only just got that lit when the vapor from the gasoline caught fire. Like to have burned him to death," grunted Chet.
"That single smoke was certainly a very expensive one for you, Master Purt," declared Laura. "For perhaps it has cost you your motor-boat At least, it has cost you more than the whole thousand cigarettes were worth. Kindly throw those disreputable looking things away!"
Purt obeyed instantly by tossing case and all into the lake.
"Ugh! now you'll poison the fish," complained Jess.
"Never mind the fish," said Laura, still intent upon the victim. "Now, Purt, how many cigarettes have you left at home?"
"Oh—I—ah——"
"Do not prevaricate!" commanded the girl. "Answer at once."
"Why—I—I have most of the thousand left," admitted Purt.