“Those white butterflies flew over your head?” Donald interrupted.
“Not while I stood there, but when I stepped out of course I got into them,” Bob replied.
“May I ask another question. Where did you get those rings you are wearing?” the Indian boy wanted to know. Jim eyed him narrowly for a moment.
“They were given to us by a boy in Vermont some time ago. It was during the floods and we carried him and his uncle across Lake Champlain so they could take the train in New York,” he replied carefully. He had a hunch that Donald knew something about the rings.
“We didn’t do much, but everyone was having a bad time, so they gave us the rings because they appreciated getting away,” Bob added.
“Thank you,” Donald smiled. “Pardon the interruption,” he turned to the captain. “I’ve seen similar rings and could not resist inquiring.”
“That’s all right, old man,” Seaman replied.
“The second plane landed near us,” Jim went on with the story, but he omitted the argument over the green emeralds because he did not wish to bring in Don Haurea if he could help it, although both Ruhel and Bradshaw had met the scientist when they were in Texas looking for young Gordon.
“If I may interrupt, I should like to ask Donald what difference it made whether the butterflies went over the boys’ heads,” Ruhel said. “The doctor spoke of superstitions regarding the annual flight.” The dark boy smiled.
“It is said that one who deliberately runs into or under them in their flight will meet disaster in a short time, and all with him,” he replied.