“Help! Help!” cried the professor again. “Get the snakes for me! They’re wriggling loose! I can’t hold ’em much longer!”
“They are slippery customers, I guess,” asserted Jim, grimly.
A moment later Jerry brought the airship to a stop, not far from where the scientist was held a prisoner by the stone. All together they leaped out and ran to his relief.
Jerry and Ned started to roll away the stone, while Bob, Jim and Harvey began to lift the professor’s head and shoulders.
“Don’t!” he begged them. “Let me alone. I’m all right. Just take these two luminous snakes from me, and put ’em in a box. There’s another one, and maybe more in a hole back there. I must get them. But don’t mind me. I can wait. Save the snakes!”
“Isn’t he the limit!” exclaimed Jim Nestor, as he turned his attention to the wriggling serpents, which the professor still held—one in each hand. As Mr. Brill had said they were small, and not to be feared unless their bite was poisonous, and this did not seem to be so.
“Put ’em in boxes!” called the professor. “You’ll find some over there,” and he nodded his head toward the left. Jerry saw some of the glass-topped specimen cases which the scientist used, and ran for them.
“Get the snakes, boys!” the tall lad called to Ned and Bob, and, as they had often helped the professor gather other queer prizes, they were not at all squeamish about handling the serpents. Ned got one, and Bob the other, holding them until Jerry came up with the boxes, into which they were thrust, and the covers fastened down.
“Are they safe?” asked Mr. Snodgrass, from his position on the ground, where he was still held by the stone.