[CHAPTER X]
THE SECOND SECTION
Jerry Hopkins for an instant or two was rather sorry he had urged the professor to continue on with him and his companions to Thunder Mountain. At first the scientist had planned to come only as far as Chicago with the boys, to get the benefit of riding in the open air.
But the trip from Cresville did him so much good and he seemed so happy at being back with his young friends and so glad of the chance to collect specimens, that Jerry had said:
“Why not come all the way to Montana with us? We shall be in the open air most of the time.
“But if this is a hold-up,” mused Jerry, as he began an observation, “and the professor is going to be robbed, he won’t thank me for having persuaded him to come along.”
By this time the tall lad was out in the aisle of the car, clad only in his pajamas, but as there happened to be no ladies in the sleeper this was not embarrassing to the lad. He saw the little scientist reaching in between the green curtains that hid the occupant of the upper section from sight.
But though this occupant, whom Jerry remembered as the fat man, was unseen, he was not unheard, for he continued to yell:
“Help! Porter! Conductor! I’m being robbed! Some one is after my watch and pocketbook!”
Undoubtedly the professor had his hands in among the bed clothes of the fat man’s berth. Uriah Snodgrass was standing on the little ladder which the porter brings when one has to climb in or out of an upper berth.