“Oh rats!” was Bart’s reply. “But catch the turtle, if you’re going to.”
Fenn made a grab for the slow moving reptile, and caught it. He examined it carefully in the fast-fading light.
“Well, pick off the diamond bracelet; why don’t you?” asked Bart, chuckling at his joke.
“Dry up!” advised Fenn, still looking at the turtle.
“Chuck it away, and come on,” suggested Ned.
“Chuck it away? I will not!” retorted Fenn indignantly. “This is a rare kind of turtle, it must have been dug up out of its winter hole by some one. I’m going to keep it for my collection.”
“What? Haven’t you given that up by this time?” asked Bart. “I supposed that you’d be gathering specimens of snowflakes, or samples of dog biscuit by this time,” for he knew Fenn’s failing, and a month, at most, was the period devoted to any new fad. But this time Fenn seemed more in earnest.
“No, I’m going to keep this,” went on the amateur collector. “It’s a good one. I shouldn’t be surprised but what Professor Long would be glad to get it for his collection,” and Fenn gazed admiringly at the turtle.
“Here’s another,” announced Frank suddenly. “And there is a third one,” and he pointed to two more of the reptiles crawling sluggishly along.