"Nor I," said the Merboy. "But, say, Jimmieboy, you are cured of your lockjaw, aren't you?"
"Dear me, I forgot!" said Jimmieboy. "I wasn't going to open my mouth under water at all."
"Why not, pray?" asked the Merboy.
"For fear of swallowing the ocean," replied Jimmieboy.
"Ha! ha!" laughed the Merboy. "Why, you couldn't swallow a drop of it, much less the whole of it, the way I've fixed it. Is that all you were doing—just holding your month shut?"
"That's all," said Jimmieboy.
"Well, well! The idea!" said the Merboy. "You ought to have known better."
"Well, I didn't," said Jimmieboy, glad to find that it was not really necessary to keep his mouth closed.
"Apparently not—and it took the bureau of information to cure you. That's a very useful bureau."
"Very," said Jimmieboy. "I'd like to go through some of the drawers if we have time. Have we?"