“No, only a little excitement,” responded Mr. Duncan, trying not to smile. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, of course. Why shouldn’t I be?”
“I didn’t know,” murmured Mr. Duncan, turning aside.
Jerry got on a chair, and, being tall, soon had the red-striped water bug, which the professor carefully put in his specimen box. Then, as the janitors, clerk, bell boy and chambermaid withdrew, the professor remarked:
“When I left the airship I saw a rare specimen of a Buffalo bug-moth on a lady in the crowd. I captured that and then I saw several other valuable specimens. I was so busy making a collection, for this is a wonderful town for bugs, that, before I knew it, night had fallen. I inquired my way to the hotel, and I knew you would find me as soon as the cable was strung. Isn’t it nearly done, Jerry?”
“It’s all finished,” replied the lad. “We had started off without you, when we suddenly remembered that you were not with us, and we came back. Then the chambermaid said——”
Jerry paused, somewhat embarrassed.
“Yes, what did she say?” asked the professor, innocently. “Did she know of any more of these bugs?”
“I guess not,” finished Jerry. “But I came back to get you, professor.” He did not mention the alarm the scientist had innocently caused.