“I believe you’re right, Chunky,” assented Jerry. “We will.”
Once the first fright and curiosity was over, the minds of the villagers naturally turned to the object that had brought the voyagers in their midst. By this time Professor Snodgrass had put aside his note books, and was stalking along through the crowd, looking for rare insects. Approaching one burly miner the scientist exclaimed:
“Ha! Now I have him!”
“Hold on! No, you don’t! Hands up!” cried the miner, and the next instant the little professor was gazing unflinchingly down the muzzle of a big revolver. “Don’t you lay a hand on me!” went on the miner. “I’ve got the drop on you! Besides, you can’t extradite me for a crime like that, anyhow. And, anyhow, I didn’t do it!”
“Do it? Do what?” asked the professor mildly. “Will you please put down that gun. It’s in my way, and I want to catch a new specimen of a blue spotted lizard I see crawling on your coat.”
“A lizard!” gasped the man, as he lowered his weapon. “Aren’t you a sheriff, looking for me?”
“Not at all,” said the professor, with a smile. “I am collecting specimens for my college museum. Ah, there! I have it—just a moment, if you please,” and with a quick motion he captured the wriggling lizard in a little net, and transferred it to one of his glass boxes.
“Is—is that what you’re after?” asked the man, backing away, while those near him laughed.
“That’s all,” said the professor, blandly.
“We’re a scientific expedition,” put in Jerry, thinking this a good time to explain the nature of the trip. “We are all with Professor Snodgrass, after specimens,” but he did not say what kind, and, after all, the sixty nuggets were specimens of one sort.