I say, Mr. Gordon, it's a fierce storm!"
Tommy came through this explanation pretty well. Uncle Dick's
understanding smile helped him a good bit.
"Quite so," said Mr. Gordon, and looking at Major Pater again. "Of course,
I would never have known it was snowing if you had not undertaken to show
me. But you see, Major Pater, your foot was sticking out into the aisle. I
saw it. You have the misfortune to----"
"Artificial leg, sir," growled Major Pater.
"Quite so. Well, accidents will happen, you know. There! You are quite dry
again. I don't think you will get much sleep here until the porter makes
up the berths. Suppose we go into the smoking compartment and soothe our
minds, Major?"
"Ah--Humph! Thank you, Mr.--er----?"
"Mr. Gordon," explained Tommy Tucker still standing as though he had
swallowed a very stiff poker indeed.
"Ah! Glad to meet you, Mr. Gordon." They shook hands. Then Major Pater
shot another command at Tommy: "H-r-r-rrp!" (or so it sounded) and the boy
with vast relief dropped his stiff military pose.
The rest of the "live wire octette"--even Timothy and Libbie--were highly
delighted by the outcome of Tommy's joke.
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