The Bubble Gum Code

Billy worked the wad of bubble gum in his mouth to one cheek and stepped inside. "I'mmm hooommm."Dad was at the kitchen table. "How was the birthday party?" "Fntsssssstk!"Dad looked confused."Fantastic?" Mom smiled. "Glad to hear it.""Wuved de ways-kah.""He loved the race car you gave him? Wonderful!" Mom held out her hand. "Time to get rid of the bubble gum.""Definitely," Dad said. "I don't know how Mom understood you."Billy spit out his gum. "Mom broke the talking-while-chewing-bubble-gum code years ago!""For a moment," Dad said, "I thought you'd learned a secret code.""I wish," said Billy. "Do you know any secret codes, Dad?""I only know about some codes," Dad said. "Like the ones used in World War Two." Dad grabbed his history book. "In May 1941, British battleships tried stopping enemy submarines with depth charges, which were basically big barrels filled with explosives. One sub was badly damaged and had to surface. A battleship named the Bulldog pulled alongside the German sub