"She's like that sometimes, but she means well, Melissa does," explained the professor, with a rather sheepish look as he stood in the midst of a puddle that was rapidly converting him into an isolated island in the midst of Miss Melissa's immaculate hall carpet. Suddenly, with one of his impulsive movements, he darted off into a room opening off the hall and came back with a dollar bill he had unearthed from a desk. He handed it to Jack, and then, raising his finger to his lips, he said:
"Don't let Melissa see it. She's the best of women, is Melissa, but peculiar about some things—er—very peculiar."
"Je-ru-shah!" came Miss Melissa's voice.
"Yes, my dear, coming," said the professor, and shouldering his bag of specimens he shook hands with the boys and hastened off to answer his sister's dictatorial call.
"I guess we'd better be going," said Jack, with a smile that he could not repress.
The others agreed, and they were soon speeding back to High Towers, as the estate of Jack's father, also a noted inventor, was called, with plenty to talk about as a result of the events of the day.
CHAPTER V.
CHESTER CHADWICK—INVENTOR.