"How very careless," said the Alchemist, pettishly; "now I've got to do the work all over again. If I'd known he wanted to be blown up, I could have arranged it very easily, and at half the trouble and expense."
"Why did Bumbus leave so suddenly?" asked Drone, waking up.
"Let Bumbus look out for himself," said Nickel Plate, ignoring the question; "what I want now is my plating."
"Ace of Spades," called the Coal Man, "bring out the nickel-plating furnace."
Ace of Spades and his helper rolled a great portable furnace, glowing red with heat, into the middle of the floor.
"Step in, please," said the Coal Man, and Nickel Plate opened the door and walked in.
"Please hurry up with that two dollars in nickels, Alchemist," said the Coal Man.
"I don't seem to find any nickels," called back the Alchemist; "I suppose a two-dollar bill won't do?"
"You know it won't," said Nickel Plate. "You got up the formula yourself—and please hurry, it's getting warm in here."