"Well, one of the British Tommies had a bright idea and he carefully picked all the red threads out of a short time fuse. Then he zipped it over. Of course the Heinie picked it up, thinking it was a long timer and that was about all for Heinie. It blew him and all the men near him to German headquarters."
"To German headquarters," said Bart, wonderingly. "I don't get you."
The corporal grinned.
"Haven't you heard that?" he said. "A British Tommy wrote home that he'd had pretty good luck through the war for he'd sent a dozen Germans to Hades. The British censor scratched out the word, 'Hades' and wrote above it, 'It is not permitted to refer to German headquarters'."
The boys laughed.
"And yet they say the British haven't a sense of humor," commented Frank.
"That's why I say," summed up the corporal, "that you've got to be mighty careful in handling all these contraptions. A fool and his fingers are soon parted."
"Does he mean me?" asked Bart with a grin.
"You've said something," agreed Billy, with unflattering frankness.
The corporal strolled on.