"O, the foreman of the gang. He was a keen guy, I tell you, knew all about the game and got me so enthusiastic that I bought the whole bunch for ten dollars. They'll have a chance to mull over them up at the Museum in a day or two."
"More likely they are the remains of some poor bossy," said Jimmy, "who laid down and died yesteryear."
"You are the most disgusting pessimist I know," said the Codfish in high dudgeon. "Haven't they as good a chance to be old-fashioned bones as anything? Anyway I got the story in and a credit of five thousand words at least on the scoop. The fact that I bought them and presented them to the Museum should be worth another bunch of credit to me, but I'll work that up into a new story that will knock their eye out."
"But Lord help you if you've put the News in wrong," said Frank.
"Tush, tush," was all that Codfish would say, "don't discourage the efforts of a budding genius."
Several days later three expressmen might have been seen carrying most carefully a gigantic packing box labeled:
RELICS—WITH CARE.
and addressed to the Peabody Museum. Behind it marched the Codfish.
"Round the back way," he commanded. "You can't get in the front way. Easy there. You're carrying the most important thing you ever handled."
"It's darn'd heavy," grunted one of the men.