CHAPTER X
THE PUZZLED PROFESSOR
On the return of the boys to the house of Dr. Manning, Val’s hospitable young mind had been somewhat disturbed as to how he should amuse his new friend during the remaining hours of the afternoon.
“To-morrow,” he said, “I’ll get father to lend us the carriage, and we’ll have a grand drive, and next day we’ll do something else. Maybe we’ll go fishing. There’s plenty of fun evenings, but what’ll we do now?”
“One thing I’d like to do,” said Bar.
“What’s that?”
“Why, I never saw so many books and things in all my life as there are in your library. Do you suppose your father’d object to my taking a closer look at them?”
“The library?” exclaimed Val. “Why, that isn’t much. Father’d be glad enough if I’d put in more time there than I do. Then he’s got a whole lot of things in his laboratory. Fun there, now!”
“I should say so,” said Bar. “I know something about that. We had to work up a whole lot of experiments once.”
“We?” said Val, inquiringly.
“Yes,” said Bar. “I and some other fellows. Only we just learned enough to play our tricks, that’s all.”