The party was on the point of breaking up, with much laughter over the
embarrassment of poor Gus, when Skeets unexpectedly furnished further
entertainment. She had paused to lean comfortably against a center
table, but its easy rolling casters objected to her weight, rolled away
hastily and deposited her without warning on the floor. Ted, who
gallantly helped her to her feet, remarked, with a grunt due to extreme
effort, that she really might as well stand up or enlist the entire four
legs of a chair to support her.

Bill, about to take leave of the host and hostess, felt a slight jerk at
his sleeve and looking round was surprised to find Thad at his elbow.
The youth said in a low voice:

"Want to see you out yonder among the trees. Give the rest the slip. Got
a pipe of an idea."

Bill nodded, wondering much. A moment later Mr. Hooper was repeating
that he was proud of the work done by the boys and glad that he had
trusted them. Then he added:

"But say, young feller, much as I believe in you and Gus, seein' your
smartness, I got to doubt all that there bunk you give them young people
'bout that there what you call radier. I been borned a long time--goin'
on to seventy year now,--an' I seen all sorts of contraptions like
reapers an' binders, ridin' plows, typewritin'-machines, telephones,
phonygraphs, flyin'-machines, submarines an' all such, but b'jinks, I
ain't a-believin' that nobody kin hear jes' common talk through the air
without no wires. An' hundreds o' miles! 'Tain't natch'all an' 'taint
possible now, is it?"