"What? what?" demanded the others.
"Why, something's been done to it; it's as thin as paper."
The knife blade certainly presented a curious appearance. Though maintaining its original form and size, it seemed to have wasted away until it was scarcely thicker than a sheet of note-paper. It was probably owing to this fact that the point had snapped off when it came into contact with the bricks at the bottom of the pond.
"Perhaps the water has made it go like that," suggested Elsie.
"Oh no," answered her cousin. "You can see where it's rusty. It must have been ground or rubbed down on a stone."
"But why should any one grind a knife blade as thin as that?" asked the girl. "If you tried to cut anything, the blade would bend all up or break."
"The best thing for us to do will be to take it indoors and show it to the mater," said Guy. "I expect she'll be jolly surprised when she hears we found it in the pond."
"Wait half a minute," answered Brian, who was always practical. "Let me get my ship out first."
The rake was once more thrust out, and the end lowered into the water; after two unsuccessful attempts the whereabouts of the sunken Fury was discovered, and she was carefully dragged to the edge of the pond.
"There!" said Brian, as he carefully emptied the water out of the little craft. "That's where she leaks. I'll stop that up before we try her again. Now let's go and find aunt, and show her the knife."