“Snakes! snakes!”
“Snakes? What are you talking about? Where?”
“There! Why, where is it? It has gone!”
The professor sat up and stared in amazement at the cabinet, which was wide open, but no snake was in sight.
“Too bad!” said Frank, turning to Ephraim. “I did have a faint hope that the professor would leave it off, but it is still plain that he sometimes looks on the wine when it is red.”
“What’s that?” roared the little man, who had a big, hoarse voice. “What do you mean? Do you insinuate that I have been drinking?”
“Of course I do not wish to hurt your feelings, but——”
“I tell you I saw a snake!”
“Too bad!” sobbed Frank, getting out his handkerchief, and pretending to wipe a tear from the corner of his eye.
“But I am positive of it.”