The Shivelys had a good sized orchard and each fall they would have a lot of apple cider made. Now anyone who is familiar with fresh apple cider knows that a person should consume it with caution, as far as quantities are concerned. It apparently contains some of the same ingredients that cause Ex-Lax to do what the TV commercials promise that it will do.

One fall, a cousin of the boy’s, Bob De Pold, was staying with them, for a while. Bob was from the big city, so in all probability, that was the first that he knew where cider came from. Following their true form, the boys warned Bob about the cider, telling him how good it was, but if he was going to drink any of it, he should drink a lot, because a small amount was apt to make him sick. They, of course, were immune to the sickness because they had always drunk lots of it. Bob did just as he was told and spent a good deal of his vacation in the Chick Sales House. He did, however, keep up with his cider intake, because the kids warned him that if he didn’t, it would surely make him sick.