Then the boys watched and soon learned how to fry good potatoes—an art many cooks lack.
“Now for the blast!” cried the Captain, when the dishes and pans had been cleaned with sand and water.
“You boys watch Captain and me fix the fuse and then when we yell you must run way up on the porch of mother’s retreat and stand there,” ordered Fred.
The three boys were greatly surprised to see Captain Ed cut the dynamite with his knife as if it were a cheese.
“It looks just like a roll of yellow plasticene!” said Dudley.
“It won’t act like one!” laughed Billy.
“You know last year, Captain and Fred blasted out the boulders for our Council Place and we had to cover the rocks with logs and things to keep them from flying through the air and smashing the windows,” explained Billy, for Paul’s and Dudley’s benefit.
“Oh, did you blast for that Ring?” wondered Paul.
“I should think we did! We have to blast for everything! There isn’t a level spot on the whole island. Did you think the pebbles grew so level and smooth on that Council Place?” laughed Fred.
“I thought it had to be filled in where any hollows happened to be but I didn’t know you had to blow off the bumps!” said Paul, in defence.