“Oh, weren’t you dreadfully frightened?” cried Mollie Horton, who, with Alice Vines and Helen Gale, besides several other girls, had come down to the station to greet the boys.
“Not a bit!” cried Bob.
Then the band struck up another air, Andy ran to form the procession, taking his place at the head of it, and, though they did not exactly like it, the motor boys were forced to allow themselves to be thus honored.
The procession moved away from the depot and crossed the little square where the flagpole was set up.
“Speech! speech!” cried several as they caught sight of the band-stand. “Give us a speech about your trip.”
“I’m not going to make any speech,” murmured Jerry, who was rather bashful. Nor was Mr. Glassford accustomed to talking in public.
“Professor Snodgrass!” cried Andy.
“Certainly, I shall be delighted,” replied the scientist. “Friends,” he went on, stepping forward and making a low bow, “we had a most wonderful trip. High up among the clouds as we were, far above the earth, skimming along with the speed of the wind, free, unhampered, masters of the upper regions, there——”
“Hurrah!” cried the crowd.
“There, if I may be permitted to continue,” went on the scientist, “I found more kinds of bugs than I ever imagined there were. It was a most delightful trip.”