whose, furtive eyes carried in them a suggestion of treachery and
sneakiness.

"What's the joke, Buck?" asked Bob coldly, as he looked from one
to the other of the sniggering faces.

"You're the joke," answered Buck insolently; "that is, if you believe
all that stuff I heard you pulling off just now. You must be easy if
you fall for that."

"I wasn't talking to you," replied Bob, restraining himself with some
difficulty. "But since you've butted in, perhaps you'll tell me just
what it is that's so funny about the wireless telephone."

"The whole thing is bunk, if you ask me," replied Buck with the
confidence that so often goes with ignorance. "Telephoning without
wires! You might as well talk of walking without legs."

This argument seemed to him so overpowering that he swelled out his
chest and looked triumphantly at his two companions, whose faces
instantly took on the same expression.

"You made a ten strike that time, Buck," declared Lutz, clapping him
on the shoulder.

"Hit the target right in the bull's-eye," chimed in Terry, with
a smirk.

Bob and Joe and Jimmy looked at each other, and, despite their
resentment, had all they could do to keep from breaking into laughter.