Seen in the half-light of the morning, it seemed to consist principally of arms and legs which were wildly waving in the air.
“Looks like a big devil fish,” cried Tom. “Better look out, boys.”
But as it came nearer it resolved itself into two figures, one of which, the larger, was carrying the smaller, which latter was squirming and struggling in an effort to escape.
“It’s the Professor!” cried Juarez, “but what the mischief has he got there?”
“That’s it!” cried Jim, joyfully. “He’s got the ‘mischief’ himself. It’s Manuel.”
“Hurrah!” exclaimed Jo and Tom, running forward to meet him. “Where did you get him?”
“You will find your bag back upon the wharf,” explained the professor, when he came near, holding the snapping, snarling object up in the air with a vicelike grip on the waistband of its trousers. “And mine, too,” he added, as the boys started off on a run in the direction indicated.
“I caught this viper sneaking along with a bag that I knew did not belong to him, and that I took to belong to some of you. What do you think we had better do with this thing?” indicating Manuel.
“I think,” observed Berwick, “we had better take it on board with us and put it in a cage like any other wild beast.”
“Not a bad suggestion, that,” agreed the professor. “That’s about the best thing we could do with him.”