“Well, gee,” grumbled Gus. “I can’t sit around like this all the morning.”
“Get a book and read,” Ted suggested.
“It’s too hot to read,” grunted Gus. The others laughed. Wicks sat up and fished in his pocket for his knife.
“I’ll amuse you, Gus,” he said. “Crawl over here and we’ll play stick-knife.”
“Stick-knife!” jeered Gus. “Why not jack-stones?” But nevertheless he joined Tyler and the two were soon hard at it. One by one the fellows left and the group lessened until only the players, Jack and Steve Walker remained.
“Think you’ll play?” asked Walker, lowering his voice.
Jack shook his head. “I don’t believe so,” he replied. “Not start the game, that is.”
“What’s the matter with your hand?”
“Nothing; just scorched it a bit last night.”
“Let’s see.”