"You—you mean you'd like to go, you and Bob?" Mr. Lakewood pretended to be greatly surprised.
"Oh, no, we wouldn't like to go, not a bit more than a bear would like to eat a pailful of honey," Jack again laughed.
"But I thought bears liked honey," Mr. Lakewood's face was perfectly sober as he spoke.
"It's the one thing in the world they like better than anything else," Bob told him.
"Then I am to understand that you might be induced to consider the proposition?"
"Would a wild cat consider a proposition to tackle a mink?" Jack countered, whereat they all laughed.
"Think your folks will let you go?" Mr. Lakewood asked.
"Father'd let us go anywhere with you," Bob assured him.
"And so would Mother," Jack added. "But, come on, we've only got ten minutes to get the train in Broad Street."
As soon as they were seated in the Pullman and the train had pulled out of the station, Mr. Lakewood turned to the boys and said: "Now, I suppose you want to know what it's all about?"