“One of the rarest specimens of a prairie lizard that exists!” replied the professor, as, all unconscious of the dangling noose, he thrust the specimen into his green box. “This is certainly a lucky day for me.”
“I’d say it was particularly unlucky,” observed the leader, with a grim smile, adjusting the noose about the neck of the naturalist.
“Why, what’s all the fuss about?” asked the professor, noticing for the first time that he was in a crowd. “Has anything happened?”
“Well, I’ll be jiggered!” exclaimed Nestor, who overheard the conversation. “The poor professor is so absent-minded that he don’t know he’s been lassoed and is all ready to be strung up!”
“Hold fast!” exclaimed Jerry, suddenly. “I’m going to rescue him!”
“How?” asked Nestor.
“I’m going to run the auto in close to him. When I do, you reach out and grab him up.”
“Sure, I’m on!” said Nestor.
Jerry gave a loud blast on the horn. The cowboys, who did not know exactly what to do about hanging a man who didn’t seem to mind being lynched, turned to see what was going on, having forgotten all about the auto. There was a living lane between the men right up to where the bug collector stood.