Immediately there was commotion in that little kitchen.
Alex bounced up and down like a rubber ball, while Jule showed his excitement by rolling over and over on the floor.
“The cook called your bluff!” shouted Buck.
“Think that was a bluff?” asked Alex.
The lad took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves.
“I’m going to make good right now!” he explained.
The cook looked nervous about turning the ’possum over to Alex. He finally made up his mind that the boy couldn’t make much of a failure of the cookery with him there looking on, so he permitted him to go ahead. Buck looked dubious and Rube only laughed.
“Now you fellows get out of the kitchen!” ordered Alex. “How do you think I can cook this ’possum with you standing around? When the meal is ready to serve, I’ll tell you.”
“You don’t think of eating again, do you?” asked Clay.
“Do you think I’m going to miss that ’possum? Not much, I ain’t! No, sir, that ’possum’s going to be cooked, and cooked right! Then it’ll be eaten right!”