Charlie did so, and there, in black pencil on the gray surface of the stone, was the answer to the little sum—10,467!
“Whew!” whistled Charlie. “How under the sun did you do it, Joe?”
“And right under our very noses, too!” added Tom, in amazement.
CHAPTER II
A FIREWORKS FIRE
Joe Strong smiled at the puzzled looks on the faces of his chums. They were eagerly watching him now, as if asking what he would do next.
“No, I can’t do anything more just now,” he said in answer to the implied request. “I can’t produce a guinea pig from Tom’s ear, nor a bowl of gold fish from under my shirt; though I might if I were loaded for those tricks.”
“Loaded?” asked Charlie, curiously.
“Yes, that is what a magician calls it when he comes out on the stage, with the secret pockets of his dress suit filled with the things he needs for tricks. He may ‘load’ himself with a bowl of gold fish or a couple of rabbits.”
“Alive?” asked Henry.
“Sure! Wasn’t the rabbit alive Professor Rosello took out of dad’s hat last night?” asked Tom.