“It’s a three-winged—oh, pshaw! No, it isn’t either! I’ve made a mistake!” exclaimed Mr. Snodgrass in disappointed tones. “It’s not the kind I want at all—they’re too common,” and with a sigh he opened the net and let fly out some sort of a bug or insect.
“What was the trouble?” asked Ned, as he started the motor on the spark, and waited for the professor to retake his seat.
“I thought I had a three-winged dragon-fly,” replied the professor. “I caught a glimpse of him perched on a bush as we were dashing by, but when I had him in the net I saw that he had four wings, and was of the ordinary variety. A three-winged dragon-fly would be a rarity, and worth considerable, but the ones with four wings are worthless. Well, better luck next time,” and with that the scientist got in, and the auto was started.
Mr. Snodgrass once more began eagerly to scan the bushes on either side of the road, hoping for a sight of some other prize in the insect line, while the boys talked among themselves about the prospects of meeting Mr. Jackson.
“Are you sure you are ready to go off with us on a trip, Professor?” asked Jerry, when he and his chums had spoken of the possibility of making a voyage in the motorship. “We can’t tell where we’ll end up in this chase, though.”
“I’ll go anywhere you go,” was the quick reply, but the little man never took his eyes off the bushes, for he was ever on the alert for specimens.
They rode forward for some time longer, thoroughly enjoying the trip, and then, as it was getting late and they wanted to take the car to the garage to have it put in shape for the trip to Durham the following day, they turned back, and made a quick run to Cresville.
“Good luck!” called Mr. Slade after the party as the auto chugged off the next morning, the professor being on hand early.
They were to be gone at least three days, for it would take one day to go to Durham, another, or perhaps two, to negotiate with Mr. Jackson, provided they could find him, and still another day to come home. They would put up at a hotel in the meanwhile.