"Whoops! Hi! what was that word? Ho, ho, say it again, Bruce," shouted
Romper Ryan hilariously.
"He's worked for months on that Boys' Life Dictionary Contest," said
Ray Martin, "that's what's the matter with Bruce. What does it mean?
Maybe it's something to eat!"
"Aw, say, quit your joshin' me," said Bruce, "that's a real word. It means—ah—er—well—"
"Sure it does, we knew it all the time, didn't we, Romper?" said Nipper
Knapp.
"That's exactly what it means," said Bud quite soberly.
"Well, it means that we've been putting off work. We haven't come down to brass tacks. And now we're up against it and our motorboat proposition falls through," snapped Bruce.
"Well, if that's what it means then you told the truth," said Bud, resuming his indignant attitude. "We fellows haven't been on the job. I haven't made a cent in three weeks and neither has any one of the rest of you. Now be honest, have you?"
"No, we haven't," said Dug Maston.
"I guess we are actually growing lazy," said Romper solemnly.
Then Babe Wilson, the sarcastic fat scout, added: