“Bob; he want you! Vasco Bilette have him! Come quick!”

Then she fell over in a faint.


[CHAPTER XXVIII.]
TO THE RESCUE.

“Who is she?” asked Ned.

“I don’t know,” replied the professor, calmly. He seemed to take the appearance of a strange girl in the underground city as a happening that might occur at any time.

“Where did she come from?” asked Jerry.

“I can’t tell you that, either,” went on the naturalist. “One thing I can say, though, and that is, this poor girl needs help. She must be hungry, and she has traveled a long distance. Her clothes show that.”

“What did she mean by speaking about Bob, saying Vasco Bilette had him, and for us to come quick?” asked Ned.