“You’re a sight!” he said.
Rube looked down at his torn clothes, at his sodden boots, and smiled.
“They don’t look very spick an’ span, do they?” he asked. “But you ought to see the other boys!”
“Where’s Case?” asked Paul. “He went out to catch fish off dry land, and we haven’t seen him since.”
In answer to Rube’s wondering look, Clay explained that Case had gone in the hope of finding the string of fish dropped by Jule and Alex. Rube’s only reply was a grin.
“Where are the others?” asked Paul, as Rube climbed wearily aboard the Rambler. “Is Case with them?” he added.
Before making any reply Rube threw himself down with a sigh of relief and drew off his boots, sodden with water from the underbrush.
“Yes, Case is with the others,” he replied, then, “and the gang will be here in something like half an hour. Got any notion where we’ve been?” he added with a most exasperating grin.
“That’s just what we’re anxious to hear,” replied Clay.
“Well,” replied Rube, “we’ve been over to the United States—yes, sir, over to the good old United States!”