“Better take off some of your things and wring the water out,” suggested Jerry, as he looked at the little puddle collecting at the feet of the professor, who sat on the rock. “This is a secluded place—nobody will see you here. You can strip down to your underwear and dry your clothes a bit. We can go to my house by a back way and no one will see us.”
“Oh, do you live around here, Jerry?” asked Professor Snodgrass.
“Why, of course I do—we all live here! This is Cresville!”
“Is this Cresville? Well, I started out for here—I was coming to see you boys, in fact—but I didn’t know I had reached here. I got off the train because I saw a very valuable, large red butterfly fluttering about the station. I caught it, and then I wandered on after that yellow one. I chased it to the edge of the cliff and——”
“Yes, we saw the rest of what happened,” put in Bob. “But better do as Jerry says, Professor.”
“I will. Thank you for the suggestion.” The bald-headed little scientist began taking off his outer garments, and was down to his underclothing when he suddenly made a jump and cried:
“There it is! I see the yellow butterfly! Lend me a hat, somebody!”
He caught Ned’s from the head of that astonished lad and then, presenting a most ridiculous sight, Professor Snodgrass raced along the edge of the stream, following a flitting insect.
“I’ve got it!” he suddenly cried, clapping the hat down over a milkweed plant, and Ned groaned as he saw the treatment to which his hat was subjected. “I’ve got it! Jerry, please bring me a specimen box from my coat. It’s waterproof and won’t be wet inside. Hurry, please!”