A CURIOUS RACE
“What’s the matter?”
“Is anybody killed?”
“Oh, there’s some one under the locomotive! A child!”
“I’m going to faint! I know I’m going to faint!” exclaimed a very fat
lady, making her voice heard above the others who had given utterance
to the excited expressions. “Catch me, some one!”
But as no one seemed capable of sustaining her weight, the fat lady
concluded not to faint. Meanwhile there was considerable excitement,
for the professor continued to kneel beside the locomotive, making
signals to the engineer to bring the ponderous machine to a stop.
And the engineer did. With a face that went white under its coating
of oil and grime he slapped on the air brakes with a suddenness that
brought the train up with a smashing bang. Then, as the released air
hissed through the valves, the driver leaned from the cab window and
hoarsely asked:
“How’d he get under there? I didn’t see him. Did I run over him?”
“Not quite, but almost!” exclaimed Professor Snodgrass, as he reached
under the great driving wheels and lifted something out. “It was a
narrow escape. If you had run over this bug you would have killed it
sure, and it’s worth at least seven dollars for my collection.”
“Bug!” fairly yelled the engineer. “Do you mean to say you made all
that fuss, and stopped the train on account of a bug?”
“Certainly,” replied the scientist coolly. “It is a very rare specimen
of a red beetle, seldom seen in this part of the country. I saw it on
the track just as you were about to run over it. Fortunately I stopped
you in time,” and he carefully put the beetle in one of his specimen
boxes, and looked around for the boys.
“Stopped me in time! I should say you did!” gasped the now angry
engineer. “I slapped on the emergency air when I heard you yelling
that way. I thought it was a kid under the machine. And all for a
bug--a bug! I guess that ain’t the _only_ bug around here, either,”
and he looked significantly at the professor who, however, was calmly
unconscious of the glance. “Can I start now?” sarcastically enquired
the engineer, “or is there more live stock under my driving wheels?
Hey?”
“No more--unfortunately,” replied the professor, with great good
nature, after a glance under the locomotive, to make certain. “I wish
there was, but I will have to be content with this one. Now boys, I’m
glad to see you,” and he turned to greet the three chums, who up to
this time had been too surprised at the sudden and odd turn of events
to speak to their friend.
“We’re glad to see you!” exclaimed Jerry, holding out his hand.
“And I you!” cried the scientist. “I always have good luck when I’m
with you boys, and it has started early this time.”
“So we see,” observed Ned.
“You haven’t changed any since our last trip,” remarked Bob. “You’re
still after specimens.”
“And I will be, as long as I can see, and handle my butterfly net,”
declared Mr. Snodgrass. “Ah, there is our little excitable friend, Andy
Rush. Glad to see you, Andy.”
“How are you Mr. Snodgrass? My--a bug on the rail--almost run
over--great excitement--woman nearly fainted--slam on the breaks--blow
up the boiler--hold down the safety valve--sand the tracks--get the
bug--whoop!”
“Yes--er--ah--um!” murmured the professor, looking over the top of his
spectacles at Andy. “You haven’t changed either.”
“We’ve got the auto all ready for you,” explained Jerry, as he led the
way to the waiting car. “You came in good season, Professor Snodgrass,
as we’re about to start off on another little air-trip.”
“Not over the ocean I hope this time,” exclaimed the scientist, “for
the specimen I am now after is not to be found at sea. So if you’re
going over the water I’m afraid I can’t be with you.”
“What are you after this trip?” asked Ned.
“A green flying frog,” explained the professor gravely. “The museum
by which I am employed needs one of these rare specimens, and I have
engaged to spend my entire vacation looking for it. They are only to be
found inland, however, and, so far as is known, such frogs only exist
in Java. But I have made a study of the creature, and I see no reason
why it should not be discovered in this country, especially farther
west, in some of the great forests.
“This frog has a sort of membrane between its legs, like a flying
squirrel, and in addition to that feature it has the power of changing
its color like the chameleon. Ordinarily it is light green on top, and
white on the under parts, but it may become orange-hued, or even pink
or brown. I have great hopes of finding one, and if I do, I will be
richly repaid for my trouble, and our museum will have a great prize.”
“Well, I don’t know as we’re going any place where there are flying
frogs,” said Jerry, “but we are going to an aviation meet, and after
that we have made no plans. We’d be glad to have you go with us.”
“I’ll certainly go,” promised the professor, as they got in the auto,
and started toward Jerry’s house, where the little scientist was to
make a visit. “Do you suppose you’ll head for the middle west?”
“Very likely,” said Bob. “We haven’t been out there in some time, and
it might be well to make a trip to see how our gold mine is coming on.”
“Oh, I guess it’s going all right,” came from Jerry, as he speeded up
the car. “We get our dividends regularly.”
The professor was busy arranging his specimen boxes about him in
the tonneau of the car, where he sat with Bob and Andy Rush. The
long-handled butterfly net was thrust down behind the lap-robe rail,
and the cloth part fluttered in the air like a flag of distress,
causing on the part of pedestrians several curious glances at the auto.
But the professor little cared for that.
“Would you mind slackening speed somewhat,” begged the scientist as
they neared Jerry’s house.
“Why?” inquired the tall youth.
“Well, I can’t tell whether or not we are passing any valuable insects
on the bushes,” explained the professor, as he peered through his
powerful spectacles at the shrubbery that lined the roadway. “I must
lose no chances of getting specimens,” he innocently explained, “so I
thought if you could run more slowly I might sight a rare bug or worm:
Ha--there! Stop if you please, Jerry!”
Jerry brought the car up with a jerk, and, almost before it had ceased
moving the professor was out, and had darted to a blackberry bush, net
in hand.
He made a swoop, gathered a part of the net in his fingers, looked
closely at what was in it, and then exclaimed:
“Oh, pshaw! it’s only a common June bug. I thought I had a seven
winged dragon fly. Go ahead Jerry. I hope I have better luck when I
look for the flying frog?”
During this time Andy Rush had said little, but the manner in which he
fidgeted about on the seat, and the way in which his lips moved, showed
that he was holding something back with a great effort.
Jerry swung the car up in front of his house, and as he and his chums
and their guest alighted, the excitable little chap asked:
“Say, professor, is there really a flying frog--one that sails through
the air--like an aeroplane--over the trees--’round in a circle--faster
and faster--is there really--whoop!”
Andy ended up with a vigorous swinging of his arms. The professor
looked curiously at him, and then, without a word, made a jump for the
small chap.
Surprise manifested on his face, Andy leaped back out of reach of the
butterfly net that was extended toward him. The scientist took another
forward step. Andy leaped back still more, and then, as if alarmed at
the manner of the bug-collector, the boy turned and ran down the street.
“Hold on! Come back here at once! I want you! You must not get away
from me! Stop I say!”
The race was on, each one running at top speed.
“Don’t let him catch me! Don’t!” yelled Andy, working his legs to their
limit. “I didn’t mean anything! I wasn’t making fun of the flying frog!
Don’t catch me!”
“Stop! Stop I say!” ordered the professor imperiously.
“By Jove!” exclaimed Jerry. “The professor is angry at Andy. He thinks
he’s been making game of him. If he catches him he may hurt the little
fellow.”
“What, the professor? He wouldn’t hurt a fly unless he wanted it for a
specimen,” spoke Ned.
“Maybe that’s what he wants of Andy--he’s so little,” ventured Bob.
“Well, he’ll soon have him at the rate he’s going,” predicted Jerry,
for the scientist was now almost up to the small fellow, who was still
begging to be let alone, while the professor was shouting:
“Stop! Stop I say! Come back here at once!”