"Nothin' much," replied Sam. His manner, however, to the boys
seemed to imply that he was holding some information in reserve
and this fact at once increased their curiosity.
"What have you got?" asked George.
"I have nothin' much, but an albuminoid rib."
"What kind of a rib?"
"That's what you call it. If it isn't that it's alkali."
"What kind of a rib is an alkali rib?" asked John.
"Why, it's one of those things that's about as light as paper.
Here, I'll show it to you," he added as he drew from his inner
pocket a metal rib, which he at once handed to Fred.
"That looks like aluminum to me," said Fred quickly.
"That's just what I said," retorted Sam. "I thought I'd bring it
along in case anything happened. I'll have some feet and hands
comin' later."
"What for?" laughed Fred.
"What do you s'pose they're for? They're for you to wear."
"If you had brought along a head," said Grant solemnly, "it might
have been a good thing. I have known Fred to lose his several
times."
"We don't furnish brains, we just use them," said Sam as he
restored the rib to his pocket. "Now, then," he added, "I'm goin'
to give this here boat an overhaulin' from stem to stern."
"There isn't anything wrong, is there?" inquired Fred anxiously.
"I told you I can't say yet," answered Sam. "I don't know until I
have investigated.
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