And I may state here that eventually Mrs. Hopkins received back her land, and the sale of the yellow clay recouped her fortune. In fact, on the adjoining property there was only a small amount of the clay, and Mrs. Hopkins had a monopoly. So she did not have to worry about money matters. Fraud was clearly proved on the part of Fussel and his crowd, and though they fought the case in the courts they were defeated. The paper accidentally found in the professor’s box won the case for Jerry and his mother.
Dr. Wright, with his sister and the nurse, remained at the camp until it was certain the professor was out of danger. Then Dr. Brown was placed in charge.
Jerry was a little apprehensive about Dr. Wright’s bill, but that matter was easily settled. When Jerry spoke of it the great surgeon laughed and said:
“Do you think I would present Professor Snodgrass with a bill for my services? We scientists are brothers, you know. It was a pleasure to preserve him for the great work he is doing.”
And so Dr. Wright, with the two ladies, went back to civilization. The Scud had been hauled out by the boys, the seams caulked, and she was as fit as ever. In her the doctor was taken back to his hotel.
The boys would remain in the woodland camp about a week longer, and then, by easy stages, would go back home, taking the scientist with them as far as Boston.
One night Bob awoke with a yell, sitting suddenly up in his bunk.
“What’s the matter—got the nightmare?” asked Jerry.
“No, but there’s something in my bed. A snake, I guess,” Bob cried.