“I wasn’t, though,” laughed Ira. “I told him it was about the time he said, but he seemed to think that was too indefinite.”
“I’ll bet he did!” said Gene. “‘Old Earnest’ would have to know not only the year but the day of the month, and whether it was in the morning or the afternoon.”
“Wonder why he didn’t look it up,” remarked White. “He has a library of encyclopedias and reference books about a mile long.”
“Maybe he’d forgot how to spell the word,” suggested Gene. “I have!”
“Absolutely no criterion,” said Lyons. “‘Old Earnest’ has forgotten more than you ever knew or ever will know, you ignoramus.”
“Is that so? I’ll bet you you don’t know who the Peloponnesians were.”
“Don’t I? They were inhabitants of Peloponnesia. Ask me a hard one.”
“Well, where was Peloponnesia, then?”
“Oh, about half-way between Cumner and Springfield,” replied Lyons without hesitation. “Anybody knows that! By the way, Rowland, I don’t remember seeing you out.”