“Why, Castile, of course. Don’t you see, Sir William—cast-steel soap must be very hard.” Still Bradley failed to tumble, and his perplexity added to the merriment of the dark-eyed girl. “He’s a wonder, Billy is!” exclaimed Ted. “But just wait till he springs these conundrums and see how he will convulse everybody.” “The ’ardest kind of soap,” muttered Bradley, wrinkling his brows. “Castile is the ’ardest kind hof soap.” “Why, of course,” said the girl. “Steel is hard, isn’t it? He made it plain enough. Cast steel, Mr. Bradley, don’t you see?” “Ow-wow!” gasped Billy. “Dear me! I hunderstand!” “Let me whisper something in your ear,” said Ted. “Those are strictly new. I don’t think any one here has ever heard them before. If you want to bump this bunch good and hard, just spring them.” “Hall right,” said Billy. “Hif Hi hever get a chance Hi’ll double them up.” Ted went on his way, and soon he had the entire party puzzling over the answers to his conundrums, which he sprang one after another. Suddenly Chip Jolliby unfolded himself and rose by sections to his full height. “Wait a minute!” he cried. “I have a gug-gug-gug-good one!” Instantly all gave him their attention. “What is the difference between an auction and seasickness?” grinned the tall boy. There were several guesses at the answer, but no one gave it. Finally Jolliby was urged to explain the difference between an auction and seasickness. “Why,” he laughed, “one is a sale of effects and the other is the effects of a sail.” Smart produced his handkerchief and began to sob. “What’s the matter?” asked one of the girls. “I have been robbed!” moaned Ted. “That was my pet property. I owned that. My happiness is ruined!” “I’ll tell you where you can always find happiness,” declared Dick at once. “Where?” cried Ted. “In the dictionary,” answered Merriwell. And immediately Smart fell off his chair with a thud. “Don’t feel so bad over it, my little man,” said Buckhart, as he patted Ted on the head. “You’re a bright little fellow. You’re a wonderfully witty little chap.” “Say, Texas,” chirped Ted, looking up, “bet you can’t tell what makes every one sick save the one who swallows it.” “I am not good at guessing,” said Brad. “What is it?” “Flattery,” answered Smart, and cheered up at once. Catching Billy’s eye, Ted winked at him and nodded. Billy fancied he saw his opportunity. “Hi have a beautiful conundrum, don’t y’ ’now,” he declared, and immediately received the attention of every one. “What’s the ’ardest kind hof soap?” When all professed their inability to answer this conundrum and demanded the answer from him, the Cockney youth threw out his chest. “Why,” he said, “that’s heasy. The ’ardest kind hof soap his cast-hiron soap, hof course.”