"You're quite right, Jud," said Will, soothingly. "Let's go, though, before that scientist chap gets away."
"He no get away," remarked Joe, sorrowfully, who had listened to the telephone conversation. "He go with us."
"I don't think much of that," said Jud, wagging his head solemnly. "The last perfesser I traveled with was while I was prospectin' down in Arizona. He sold a cure for snakebites an' small-pox, an' one night he lit out with all our cash an' we never did catch him."
Half an hour later found the whole party in Mr. Donegan's study, where they were introduced to Professor Ditson.
"What might you be a perfesser of?" inquired Jud, staring at him with unconcealed hostility.
The other stared back at him for a moment before he replied.
"I have specialized," he said at last, "in reptiles, mammals, and birds, besides some research work in botany."
"Didn't leave out much, did you?" sneered Jud.
"Also," went on the professor, more quietly, "I learned early in life something about politeness. You would find it an interesting study," he went on, turning away.
"Now, now," broke in Mr. Donegan, as Jud swallowed hard, "if you fellows are going treasure-hunting together, you mustn't begin by scrappin'."