“Vell, vell; I’ve missed him zee tence time. Nevair mind. Have at you vonce more, you aggravating leetle zing!”
Thus the unsuccessful man relieved his feelings, in a growling tone, as he continued to move about on tip-toe, rattling the bamboo flooring in spite of his careful efforts to move quietly.
“Why, Verkimier, what are you after?” cried Nigel at last, loud enough to be heard through the partition.
“Ah—I am sorry to vake you,” he replied, without, however, suspending his hunt. “I have tried my best to make no noice, but zee bamboo floor is—hah! I have ’im at last!”
“What is it?” asked Nigel, becoming interested.
“Von leetle bat. He come in vis a moss—”
“A what?”
“A moss—a big, beautiful moss.”
“Oh! a moth—well?”
“Vell, I shut zee window, capture zee moss, ant zen I hunt zee bat with my bootterfly-net for an hour, but have only captured him zis moment. Ant he is—sooch a—sooch a splendid specimen of a very rar’ species, zee Caelops frizii—gootness! Zere goes zee lamp!”