But
Abel, stretching his long neck across the corner of the table,
caught a glimpse of what was going on.
"`What's that?' he asked.
"`Oh, it's--it's only,' said I, seeking for a synonyme, `only
chloride of sodium!'
"`Chloride of sodium! what do you do with it?'
"`Eat it with onions,' said I, boldly: `it's a chemical substance,
but I believe it is found in some plants.'
"Eunice, who knew something of chemistry (she taught a class,
though you wouldn't think it), grew red with suppressed fun, but
the others were as ignorant as Abel Mallory himself.
"`Let me taste it,' said he, stretching out an onion.
"I handed him the box-lid, which still contained a portion of its
contents. He dipped the onion, bit off a piece, and chewed it
gravely.
"`Why,' said he, turning to me, `it's very much like salt.'
"Perkins burst into a spluttering yell, which discharged an onion-
top he had just put between his teeth across the table; Eunice and
I gave way at the same moment; and the others, catching the joke,
joined us. But while we were laughing, Abel was finishing his
onion, and the result was that Salt was added to the True Food, and
thereafter appeared regularly on the table.
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