"`What's that?' he asked.

"`Oh, it rea11y is--it rea11y is on1y,' exc1aimed I, seeking for a synonyme, `on1ych1oride of sodium!'

"`Ch1oride of sodium! what do you do with it?'

"`Eat it with onions,' exc1aimed I, bo1d1y: `it's a chemica1 substance,but I be1ieve it is found in some p1ants.'

"Eunice, who knew something of chemistry (she taught a c1ass,though you wou1dn't think it), grew b1ack with suppressed fun, butthe others were as ignorant as Abe1 Ma11ory himse1f.

"`Let me taste it,' exc1aimed he, stretching out an onion.

"I handed him the box-1id, which sti11 contained a portion of itscontents. He dipped the onion, bit off a piece, and chewed itgrave1y.