“What’s that sticking out of the hole in the floor?” interrupted Katherine, pointing to the corner behind the bed.
“Why, that’s it,” said Gladys. “I remember now, I poked it into that hole last night.”
88“Whatever did you put it into that hole for?” asked Hinpoha curiously.
“Why, after I was in bed,” answered Gladys, “I got to thinking about that hole and how spiders and things could come crawling through and walk right into my bed, and I had no peace of mind until I got up and stuffed it. And the only thing I could find to stuff it with was the handle of my toothbrush. Then I went to sleep in peace.”
“As if all the spiders in the world couldn’t walk in at the side of the tent,” jeered Hinpoha.
“I know it,” said Gladys, laughing shamefacedly, “but somehow the spiders that might be coming in at the sides didn’t bother me a bit, while those that might be coming through the hole did.”
“‘Consistency, thou art a jewel,’” quoted Katherine, laughing.
“What are the boys doing?” asked Hinpoha, hearing a commotion outside.
The Captain was running toward the path, waving something over his head, and Slim was hot after him trying to get it away.
“Oh, it’s the thermos bottle,” called Sahwah, who had run out after the two. Ever since Slim had taken the thermos bottle full of hot chocolate with him the time they went on the snowshoe hike, he had never been allowed to forget it. Wherever Slim went that thermos bottle was taken along for his benefit. The Captain had even taken it along to 89 a school party and gravely handed it to Slim when he was trying to appear especially dignified in the presence of a stately young lady. This time Slim caught the Captain and downed him at the head of the path and they struggled for its possession while the onlookers held their breath for fear they would both roll down the hill. Slim finally got it away from the Captain, and succeeded in hiding it where it could not be found in time to take along.