"It's a torpedo! an infernal machine!" cried Tucket. "Look out, Manly! it'll blow us all into the next Fourth of July."
Frank laughed, as he began to undo the package. The first wrapper was of brown paper with these words written upon it, in large characters:—
"Frank Manly, Drummer.
Inquire Within."
Beneath that wrapper was another, and beneath that another, and so on, apparently an endless series. The boys all gathered around Frank, looking on as he removed the papers one by one, until the package, originally as big as his head, had dwindled to the dimensions of his fist.
"It's got as many peels as an onion," said Tucket.
"Nothing but papers. I told ye so!" said Jack Winch.
But Frank perceived that the core of the package was becoming comparatively solid and weighty. There was certainly something besides paper there. What could it be? a stone? But what an odd-shaped stone it was! Stones are not often of such regular shape, so uniformly round and flattened. He had almost reached the last wrapper; his heart was beating anxiously; but, before he removed it, he thought he heard a peculiar sound, and held down his ear. A flush of delight overspread his countenance, and he clasped the ball in both hands, as if it had been something precious.
"O, boys!" he exclaimed, looking up eagerly for their sympathy, "where did it come from? Atwater, did you see any body?"
Nobody. It was all a mystery.
"Boys, it's for me, isn't it?" said Frank, still hugging his treasure, as if afraid even of looking at it, lest it should fly away.