“Oh!” suddenly screamed Rose. “There’s one!”
“Where?” asked the scientist eagerly.
“Right there, by that stone. I saw it jump. Oh, girls, I’m going to run!”
“And she said she wasn’t afraid of them!” cried Nellie.
The professor cautiously approached with his net outstretched. With a long stick he turned the boulder over, and made a quick movement with his net, imprisoning something beneath it.
“I’ve got it!” he cried. “I have the horned toad!”
Holding his captive down beneath the net, he leaned forward on his knees, to get a better view. Over his face came a look of disappointment.
“It’s only a harmless lizard,” he said, “and not one of the web-footed variety, either. That’s too bad. I thought I had my toad.”
“I’m glad, Professor,” said Rose. “Oh, no,” she added quickly, “I’m sorry for you, but I’m glad it wasn’t a horned toad so close to me.”
The professor raised the net and the lizard scurried away, probably very much frightened, and wondering what all the excitement was about.