Part 24 (1/2)
They could not imagine what had happened.
”Slap him on the back, he's choking,” shouted Ned.
Walter Perkins, by this time, was laughing immoderately, while his companions were jolting Stacy between the shoulders and shaking him violently.
”Stop pounding me, d'ye hear? Stop it, I tell you,” cried Stacy, wriggling from their grasp, red of face, an expression of great indignation in his eyes.
”Did you swallow a bone?” queried Ned.
”Bone nothing.”
”Then, please tell us the cause of all this unseemly disturbance.
Your table manners are about the worst I ever saw, Stacy Brown.”
”Water,” gasped Stacy.
”Here,” twinkled Walter, pa.s.sing the pail.
”What's the matter with the water?” demanded Ned.
”Somebody's been putting old eggs in it. I believe you did that, Ned Rector, just to tease me.”
Ned did not understand what the fat boy meant.
”Here, pa.s.s that pail. Is there anything the matter with that water, Walt? You got it.”
”I think it is thoroughly good, wholesome water,” replied Walter, holding his head low over his plate that they might not observe his amus.e.m.e.nt.
”Ugh!” exclaimed Ned, after tasting the liquid. He hurled the remaining contents of the cup full into the camp-fire.
”I told you so,” nodded Stacy solemnly. ”It's eggs and they weren't laid yesterday, either.”
”You're right. Walt, where did you get that awful stuff?”
Tad and Walter were both drinking deeply of the liquid and apparently enjoying it.
”From the spring,” gasped Walter, placing his cup on the ground.
”Don't drink that stuff. It'll make you all sick,” commanded Ned.
”Don't be silly. That water is all right,” laughed Tad.
”All right? Call that all right?” demanded Ned.
”Call that all right?” echoed Chunky.
”Of course it is. It is mineral water--sulphur water,” spilling over his clothes the contents of the cup that he was carrying to his lips.
Walter was laughing so that he finally let go of the cup itself and rolled over on his side, shouting with merriment.
”You can have it,” announced Ned firmly.