"Oh, pooh, we don't mind! we can stand anything you can."
"You can now--eh? Ha, ha, ha!---Marcus, they can stand anything I can--ha, ha, ha!"
It was very aggravating to hear the two men laughing at their expense, but the boys joined in the laugh, and insisted that they could.
"How about fare? Like pretty good food, I reckon; don't you now?"
"Oh, we don't care what it is, if we only get enough. We expect to rough it."
"Oh, you do! Well, now, you ain't never sea-sick nor nothin'; are you?"
"Oh, sea-sick! No; I've been on the lake many a time when it was rough enough," said Ben loftily.
"Oh, the lake! yes, I see.--Then of course they won't be sea-sick in a chop sea here, Marcus; will they?"
Marcus only answered with a provoking chuckle.
"I declare I've a good mind to take you, just to take the conceit out of you."