“Ah, I understand,” he said. “I will come at 207 once. Boys, we will let the insect pictures wait a minute. Perhaps you will be interested in my latest discovery. Come, I am ready to go,” and he picked up the black box from the floor and stood in waiting.
The officer looked a little dubiously at the object in the professor’s hand, and then at the three boys.
“My orders did not include—zem!” he said, indicating Ned, Bob, and Jerry, “nor—zat!” and he pointed to the box.
“This has to come,” replied the professor. “It is part of what I proposed. As for my friends, I will be responsible for them.”
“Very well, sair!” and the Frenchman bowed and led the way.
Wonderingly the boys followed Professor Snodgrass, and presently found themselves at field headquarters. A company of French soldiers were standing about, and while waiting for the summons to the presence of the headquarters officer who had sent for him, Professor Snodgrass set down on the ground the black box he had brought.
Then he suddenly saw a curious insect crawling along and became intent on its capture. The boys were watching him and paid no attention to the black box until they heard some one yell:
“Look out, boys! It’s an infernal machine in 208 there—a bomb! He’s a spy and he’s going to blow up the whole place. It’s an infernal machine—I can hear the buzzing of the battery inside.”
An American soldier, who had approached the box and had leaned over to inspect it, leaped away and began running as he cried out his warning. There was consternation among the officers and men outside the headquarters building, and Professor Snodgrass, pausing in his search for the elusive insect, gazed up in surprise at the commotion.
“What has happened?” he asked.