He pointed toward what seemed to be a small cave in the side of the hill. The dark opening was near a clump of bushes.
“Whom do you mean?” asked Bob. “Did Noddy Nixon and his crowd hide in there?”
“No, I mean some large moths,” the scientist answered. “They were flying about and I was trying to catch them. I saw them going into that opening, and then it all happened—happened so suddenly that it was like a clap of thunder. I didn’t have time to see whether or not the moths went in. I must find out. They were very rare specimens!”
Staggering to his feet—for his legs were weak from the cramped position he had been obliged to stand in—the professor made his way toward the little cave.
“Wait a minute! Tell us what happened!” cried Jerry.
“Show us which way Noddy Nixon went!” added Ned.
“No! No! There is time enough for that,” answered Professor Snodgrass. “First I must see whether I can get any of those moths. It doesn’t matter what happened to me.”
“No, but it means a lot what may happen to poor old Bill,” murmured Jerry.
However, there was no stopping the professor once he had his mind set on a project. He crawled into the cave, weak and trembling as he was from brutal treatment. And presently his cry of joy announced that he had been partly successful at least.