"That's just the idea," Dan grinned. "I am calling upon you to answer the question that you just asked. You must tell us how the woodchuck manages to get to the bottom of the hole in order to start digging upward."
It required perhaps two seconds for the joke to dawn on the other officers at the long mess table. Then an explosion of laughter sounded, and every eye was turned toward Lieutenant Barnes.
"That isn't fair!" roared the lieutenant, leaping to his feet. "That was a trap! It wasn't a fair catch."
Barnes's face was very red. His voice quivered with indignation.
But Dan Dalzell was smiling coolly as he retorted:
"I'll leave it to the mess if Barnes hasn't asked a question that he can't answer."
"You're caught, Barnes!" roared half a dozen voices, and more laughter followed.
"You asked a question, Barnes, and you can't answer it," came from others.
"That thirty-three dollars will come in handy," called another.
"Pay up like a man, Barnes."