“Ah, yes! There he is. I’m glad I didn’t lose him, for I suppose the man from whom I hired him would have been angry.”
“I guess yes,” spoke Nestor, in a whisper.
“If you are going into town we’ll ride along with you,” said Ned. “That is, if your horse isn’t afraid of automobiles.”
“I don’t think he is afraid of anything,” replied the professor. “I captured a fine specimen of grasshopper on his left ear this morning, and he never shied when I put the net over his head.”
The little man, seeing that his bag and box were safely strapped to his back, and folding up his net, mounted the horse that had approached where he was standing and started off alongside of the auto, which Jerry ran slowly.
The boys learned that the professor was stopping in the same town where they planned to spend the night.
“We’ll be there very soon now,” observed the little man, “and I’ll be glad of it, for I’m hungry.”
Suddenly, from behind, there came a wild chorus of yells and shouts, revolver shots mingling with the noise.
“It’s the cowboys coming back!” cried Ned.