“Do I want it? I should say I did, my dear sir. That is related to the celebrated horned toad that I captured after a long chase, on a journey to California. Please hold it for me. I will be there in a moment; as soon as I have captured the seven-winged centipede.”
“Will it bite?” asked the man, as he gingerly extended his hand toward the reptile.
“It’s as harmless as an elephant,” responded Mr. Snodgrass enthusiastically, for to him one animal was very like another; he feared none, and they all seemed to like him.
By this time Bob, Ned and Jerry were laughing so heartily that they could not be of much service to their friend. He seemed all unconscious of the excitement he had created in the crowd, and his only desire was to recapture his specimens. There was an uneasy movement in the throng, as women or girls found themselves confronted by a snake or a lizard.
“Don’t hurt any of them, I beg of you,” pleaded the professor. “I will soon have all my beauties safe,” and with a quick motion he captured the curious insect that had lighted on the woman who first gave the alarm.
“Beauties!” exclaimed another woman, with a sniff. “Look what he calls ‘beauties!’” and she pointed at a squatty toad that was trying to hide under a stone.
“Don’t step on it,” cried the scientist. “I’ll have it safe in a moment,” and, with a quick motion, he cast the net over it, and transferred the toad to the green box.
“There’s some sort of a big bee trying to sting me!” came a boy’s voice, from the outer edge of the crowd. “I’m going to swat it good and hard if it does.”
“No, don’t! Pray don’t!” pleaded Uriah Snodgrass. “That is the only specimen of a buzzless bumble bee that I have ever seen. It is very valuable. If it stings you just stand still, and it can’t get away. Then I’ll catch it. Don’t disturb it if it stings you!”
“Hu! Guess I’d like to see myself!” retorted the boy. Then he gave a yell. “It’s stinging me now!” he screamed. “I’m going to swat it good and hard!”