CHAPTER VII
A SURPRISED INTRUDER
"Going to stand here looking at it all night?" demanded Jerry after apause, during which his two chums had vainly sought to prevent the rainfrom trickling down inside the collars of their coats. "Do you thinkthe tire is going to mend itself, Bob?"
"I only wish it would!" devoutly exclaimed Chunky. "Wow! This isfierce!"
"No help for it," mumbled Ned, as he wiped the dashing rain drops fromhis eyes. "Hand me the jack, Jerry, I'll get the car up, you can takeoff the tire and we'll make Bob put on the new shoe and tube. That's afair division of labor."
"I'll be gum-swizzled if I can see it, as Mr. Sackett would say,"exclaimed the fat lad. "You give me the hardest part to do."
"Good for reducing flesh," remarked Jerry as he reached under the seatand got out the jack and a new inner tube. "Fetch around one of theoil headlights, Bob, so we can see what we are doing, and unstrap ashoe."
Bob started for the lantern, splashed into a deep mud hole, and utteredan exclamation of disgust.
"Wow! Say, I'm in up to my knees!" he complained.
"And I'm gradually sinking down," added Ned. "It looks as if we were ina bog, or a quicksand. Fellows, I do believe the auto is going down!"
"Hey! What's that? The auto sinking?" cried the voice of ProfessorSnodgrass. For the time being the boys had forgotten about him, and heseemed to have either fallen into a slumber, or to have been thinkingso deeply there in the darkness that he was not aware of the accident."Don't tell me we're sinking!" he implored.
"Well, if we're not, it's a good imitation of it," declared Jerry, ashe looked at the wheels of the auto, now deep in the soft mud.
"Oh, what will become of my valuable specimens?" cried the scientist."I must save them!" and he leaped from the auto, holding in his armshalf a dozen small boxes. He landed in a puddle of water, whichsplashed all over the motor boys, and their sudden exclamations ofdismay further added to the alarm of the professor.
"I didn't know we had run into a river!" he cried. "Why didn't you warnme? I was thinking of a plan to capture the singing fish, and I didn'tpay any attention to where we were going."
"Neither did the auto, apparently," remarked Ned. "But it's not quiteas bad as a river, Professor. We're comparatively safe. You'd betterget back under shelter, and we'll fix the tire," for the littlescientist was speedily being drenched, as he stood there in the stormwithout a protecting coat.
"Thanks. I believe I will. I wish I could help you boys. Wait until Iput my boxes where they won't get wet, and I'll do what I can." Theprofessor reentered the car.
"No, we'll manage," declared Jerry. "Get busy with the jack, if you'regoing to, Ned."
The merchant's son went around to the wheel on which the tire hadburst, and stooped down in the mud and water, while Bob held thelantern. The wind blew more powerfully, fairly stinging the rain intothe faces of our heroes. They were deep in the muck, and even theirraincoats were but small protection.
Ned tried to slip the jack under the axle, but the foot of theimplement went so far down into the mud that no purchase, or liftingpower, could be obtained.
"Get me a flat stone, or several of them, or a fence rail, or somethingto put under the jack," ordered Ned, straightening up with a groan ofanguish. "I've got to have something to set it on. Get busy, Chunky!Look around with your lantern for a flat rock."
"Say, do you think I'm going to do it all?" demanded the stout lad ininjured tones.
"You haven't done anything yet," retorted Ned sharply. The storm andthe accident was getting on the nerves of all of them, and tempers weresorely tried.
"Here, Bob, I'll help," broke in Jerry good-naturedly, with theintention of pouring oil on troubled waters. "I'll get the otherlantern and we'll give an imitation of two Diogeneses looking for aflat stone."
As the tall lad made his way forward, splashing through the mud andwater to detach the other headlight, Professor Snodgrass, who hadsafely packed away his specimen boxes, uttered a cry.
"Look, boys!" he called, "there's a light coming this way. Maybe it'sanother auto, and they'll help you."
They all looked. Down the road, dimly seen through the mist of therain, was a bobbing light.
"If that's an auto it's either got the blind staggers, or else it'ssteering itself," remarked Ned.
"It's a man with a lantern," declared Bob.
"And he's coming this way," added Jerry.
"That settles it," went on Ned, throwing the jack back into the tonneau.
"Settles what?" demanded Jerry.
"This repair job. I'm going to wait until morning. We can't do anythingin the storm and darkness."
"What are we going to do? Stay out here all night, stuck in the mud?"asked the tall lad.
"We're going to stay stuck in the mud all right, I guess, fellows,"retorted Ned, as he watched the progress of the moving light, "butwe're not going to stay out here all night, not to my way of thinking."
"Why not? Where are you going?" inquired Bob. "Do you see a hotel offin the distance?" and he pretended to look like the villain in theplay, who shades his eyes with his hand and gazes down the wings, for asight of some one approaching on horseback.
"Here's how I size it up," went on Ned. "There's a man coming with alight. He's walking, so evidently he doesn't live far from here, orhe'd be riding. If he lives around here there must be some sort of ahouse, and when he gets here I'm going to ask him to take us in. I'd bewilling to sleep in a stable to get out of this storm. We can leave theauto here, and in the morning we can put on a new tire, and start off.How about it?"
"It sounds good to me, if the man will take us in," agreed Jerry.
"You'll soon be able to tell," remarked the professor. "He's almosthere."
The bobbing light approached nearer, and soon, by its rays, the boyscould see that the lantern was carried by a grizzled farmer, who worea horse blanket as a raincoat. He stopped, and standing in a puddle ofwater demanded:
"Are ye stuck, strangers?"
"That's what," replied Jerry.
"Can you accommodate us over night?" asked Ned quickly. "We're willingto pay you well."
"Oh, I guess I could put you up," drawled the man. "I live all alone,jest a piece down the road. I saw the lights on your machine, an'I sensed that suthin' were wrong, so I come out t' help. This is apowerful bad bit of road, an' lots of machines has trouble. Generallythey comes t' me fer help an' I does what I kin. If ye'll walk alongI'll light th' way, though it's a measly bad storm."
"Will it be safe to leave the auto here, boys?" asked the professor.
"Oh, yes," replied Jerry. "No one could run away with it to-night, butI'll take the precaution of locking the ignition system, and that willprevent anyone tampering with it. I guess we'll go with you, Mr.--" Hepaused and looked at the farmer.
"Buttle is my name, Enoch Buttle. Come right along. I ain't got a veryscrumptious place, but ye're welcome."
"I must get my valuables!" exclaimed the professor suddenly, as hereached back under the seat where he had piled his specimen boxes."It would never do to leave them here." As he emerged with the smallpackages in his arms, shielding them from the wet as well as he could,Mr. Buttle looked at the scientist sharply, and asked:
"Suthin' ye're particularly fond of there, neighbor?"
"I should say so!" exclaimed Mr. Snodgrass. "There's at least athousand dollars in these boxes." He referred to his valuation of hisspecimens. A sharp and crafty look passed over the farmer's face. Itwas gone in an instant, and before the boys, who were busy getting theauto in shape to leave standing on the road, had had a chance to noticethe expression.
Splashing down the muddy road the four followed the lead of the farmer,and his bobbing lantern. The red tail light of the auto, as well as thetwo oil headlights had been left burning, so that no other travellerwould crash into the obstruction.
Rather discouraged by their plight, pretty well wet through, anxiousabout getting an early start in the morning,
there was no very cheerfulspirit manifested among our friends as they trudged on. ProfessorSnodgrass carried his boxes, oblivious to everything else, even thepelting rain, which soaked him through. Jerry wanted the scientist totake his stormcoat, but Mr. Snodgrass would not hear of such a thing.
"Keep it yourself, Jerry," he said. "I'm used to being wet through inmy business. I'll soon dry out when we get to Mr. Buttle's house."
"Can't I carry your valuables for you?" asked the farmer who waswalking beside Mr. Snodgrass.
"Oh, no indeed! I never let anyone but myself take these preciousthings," replied the scientist. "If anything should happen to them Inever could replace them."
A little later they were at the farmhouse. It was a small one, quiteold-fashioned, and, from what little glimpse the boys had of it as theyentered, it did not seem to be in very good repair.
"Here's where I live," said Mr. Buttle. "It's not very good, but it'sthe best I've got. Now I can make you a cup of coffee, and fry some hamand eggs, if you'd like 'em."
"Would we?" cried Bob, and there was a hungry gleam in his eyes.
"Wa'al, I'll git right t' work. I do my own cookin'. I've got an oilstove. Git off your things, an' I'll git th' meal. I dunno whetherwe'll call it supper or brekfust, but it don't much matter. I'll beright back, an' after ye eat I'll make ye up some beds on th' floor.It's the best I kin do."
"Oh, we'll be glad to get them," said Ned, "no matter what they are."
The old man, with a quick glance at Professor Snodgrass, bustled fromthe room, and our friends proceeded to take off some of their wetgarments, hanging them over chairs near an old-fashioned fire-place inwhich, in spite of the fact that it was summer, a blaze was cheerfullyburning.
"This will dry us out," observed Jerry, holding his benumbed hands tothe flames.
"That's right, git close to th' fire," remarked Mr. Buttle, as he camein a little later, leaving open the kitchen door, whence came thesavory smell of ham and eggs, mingling with coffee. "I lit th' firewhen the storm come up."
"Say, does it strike you that our host hasn't the most pleasant face inthe world?" asked Jerry of his chums, when the old man had again goneout.
"You shouldn't look gift-horses in the mouth," observed Ned.
"You can't see his mouth--too many whiskers," came from Bob with achuckle. "I'm glad we're going to feed, anyhow."
"No, but seriously, I don't like his looks," went on the tall lad."If we had any valuables I'd feel like putting them under my pillow,provided we get one when we go to bed."
"Oh, you're nervous," declared Ned, and then conversation on that linecame to an end, for Mr. Buttle announced supper. It was as good a mealas could be expected under the circumstances, and the boys and theprofessor did full justice to it.
"An' now for beds," announced their host, and a little later, havingbeen gone from the room for some time, he came back to state that thesleeping, arrangements were completed.
"I'll have to put you three young fellows on beds on th' floor in oneroom," he said, "an' Mr. Snodgrass kin have th' next room. It's thebest I kin do."
"Can't we all be together?" asked Jerry, with a suspicious glance athis companions.
"I'm sorry, but my house ain't quite big enough," was the answer.
"Oh, I don't mind," Professor Snodgrass hastened to say. "I'll takeall my valuables in with me, for I wouldn't want anything to happen tothem. I'll be all right, and we can leave the door open between."
Jerry felt that it would hardly be right to say anything more, andso, in about half an hour, when they were nearly dried out before thewelcome blaze, they went up to the improvised bedrooms.
"I thought you said we could have the door open between our room andthe professor's?" asked Jerry when he had looked at the arrangements.
"Wa'al, I did think so, but I jest discovered that th' connectin' dooris locked, an' I can't find th' key," said Mr. Buttle, nervously movingabout.
"Oh, it won't matter," was the professor's opinion, and he went intohis apartment carrying with him his precious boxes of specimens, whileJerry, with growing suspicion, caught a crafty look which Mr. Buttlegave the scientist.
"Lock your door, Professor," whispered the tall lad, as they preparedfor bed. "Lock it, and put a chair against it."
"What for?" demanded Mr. Snodgrass. "Do you think----?"
"I don't like the looks of that man," went on Jerry. "Put your watchand money under your head. We'll do the same."
"Oh, you're too fussy," declared Bob, as the footsteps of theirhost could be heard descending the stairs, after he had called a"good-night" to them. "You're nervous, Jerry."
"Well, perhaps I am, but I'm going to lock our door just the same. Nouse taking chances."
Jerry did so, and also took the precaution to draw a chair against theportal. He called to know if Mr. Snodgrass had done the same.
"Yes," replied the scientist, "though I have no fear. My watch is onlya cheap one, and I didn't bring much money with me. I will put myspecimen boxes where no one can get at them without awakening me."
In spite of his worries Jerry was soon asleep, as were the others, forthey were tired and worn out. Ned was thinking anxiously of what themorrow might bring forth, and he hoped soon to be in communication withMr. Jackson.
Just what hour it was Jerry could not determine, but he was suddenlyawakened by a noise as if some one had pushed a chair across the room.Instantly all his suspicions came back to him, but, before arousing hiscompanions he made up his mind to investigate.
Cautiously he crawled to the door of their room, and, feeling aboutin the darkness, discovered that the chair he had placed against theportal was still in place.
"It wasn't in here," he murmured. "I wonder if the professor is up?"He was just about to rouse Ned and Bob, and had in mind to call thescientist, when from the latter's apartment there suddenly came aseries of startled yells.
"Ouch! Oh my! Let go! I'm bein' stabbed! Some beast has holt of me! Letgo, consarn ye, or I'll stomp on ye!"
There was a riot of racket in the adjoining room.
"What's the matter?" yelled Ned, jumping up.
"Is the place on fire?" asked Bob, pressing the spring of a portableelectric light he had with him, and partly illuminating the room.
"Here! Get out! What are you doing? Thieves! Murder! Help, boys, help!"
"It's the professor!" gasped Jerry. "That rascal is attacking him!"
"We're coming, Professor!" sung out Ned. He began sliding back thechair that Jerry had placed against the door, while Bob held the light.
"Not that way! This!" shouted Jerry, and, putting his shoulder to theconnecting door, he burst it open with a mighty shove.
The three chums piled into the professor's room, and in the light ofBob's lamp saw a curious sight.
Dancing about in fear and pain was Mr. Buttle. Fast to the thumbof each hand was an enormous, pinching, black beetle, some of thespecimens recently gathered by the professor. The boxes were scatteredabout the room, and the scientist with apprehension on his face wasscurrying about, gathering up several choice insects which had beenreleased by the intruder.
DANCING ABOUT IN FEAR AND PAIN WAS MR. BUTTLE.]
"Take these beasts off me or I'll sue ye!" cried Mr. Buttle. "Take 'emaway 'fore they eat my thumbs off! Wow! Jehoshaphat, how they pinch!"