Page:Bedford-Jones--Boy Scouts of the Air at Cape Peril.djvu/96

 individual whose back was turned to the pilot and his companion. A waiter was sauntering around, apparently trying to persuade himself that he was busy with a mop and a bucket. Two clodhoppers, one with the round, yellow face of a Hallowe'en pumpkin and the other possessing the sharp, startled look of a rabbit, were standing by a window lazily engaged with their toothpicks.

Hardy, addressed as "Brother" by the landlord, was informed he could get coffee and ham and eggs.

"Long sweetenin' or short in yo' coffee?" inquired the negro waiter when he found time for the order.

Hardy decided on "short," explaining to the puzzled lad that "long" was molasses, very popular in these regions—a fact which had not escaped the attention of the flies, as attested by their swarming over everything.

For a minute or so, the two men by the window stared at the newcomers in solemn silence; then, removing their toothpicks, they abruptly launched into the following dialogue:

"Looks like we was goin' to have some