>           Now that you mention it, I think the boy might well have been using
>railroad explosives.  The author describes him as "gray"... perhaps suggesting
>he hadn't bathed for awhile, and "scrawny"... perhaps suggesting he didn't get
>enough to eat.  Tom's remark also implies the setting is not in a particularly
>nice neighbourhood.  If the family's socioeconomic circumstances did not allow
>the purchase of luxury items such as firecrackers, one has to wonder....  :-))

That does make sense!

Mike


 * SLMR 2.1a * Eschew Obfuscation!
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