CHAPTER XI.
CAPTURING A HORSE THIEF.
"Whoop! Watch it turn over!" yelled some of the cowboys.
But Jerry kept straight on. Nearer and nearer he came to the ring.At length, ten feet away, when he feared he would have to put on theemergency brake to avoid a collision, the nervous mustangs in front ofthe car broke into a frightened run and dashed over the prairie, whileJerry guided the car away from the herdsmen, who were soon left farbehind.
"I told them I'd give 'em a surprise, and I did," said Jerry. "I didn'tpromise to make the auto turn a flip-flop, I only asked them if theyever saw it done. Well, I never did, either. I guess things are aboutevened up."
The astonished cries of the cattlemen left no doubt but that Jerry'strick to escape from them had been very much of a surprise.
"They didn't intend any harm," said Nestor. "I know the character ofcowboys. They're full of fun an' thoughtless. It's jest as well we gotaway, though. No tellin' what damage they'd have done to the machine."
The auto rolled along for several miles and the occupants were beginningto think of supper, which they planned to eat in a small town aboutthree miles further on.
"What's that?" asked Ned, pointing off to the left of the road. Theothers looked, and saw strolling over the prairie a peculiar figure.
It was that of a little man, wearing a big, flapping brimmed hat. Theold fellow held a big butterfly net in his right hand, and a large,green box in the other. On his back was slung a bag. Every now and thenthe stranger would raise the net high in the air and bring it down witha swoop.
"That's funny," remarked Jerry.
"Looks to me like he was looney," suggested Nestor.
Jerry brought the machine to a stop. The queer little man came nearer.His eyes were staring in front of him at something he seemed to desireto capture in the net. Whatever it was it continually escaped him.
At length the odd figure was close to the automobile. Yet the littleman did not notice the car. Suddenly his eyes glanced at one of the bigfront tires. The boys looked and saw perched on the rubber a small,brown butterfly.
"Softly--softly!" exclaimed the little man, speaking to himself. "Easynow. I have you, my beauty. Long have you escaped me, but I am on yourtrail. Ah! Don't move now. Softly! There!"
He banged the net down on the tire, sprang forward and caught the meshesbetween his fingers. Through his bespectacled eyes he peered eagerly atwhat he thought he had captured. A disappointed look came on his face.
"Got away again!" he muttered. Then he looked up and saw the party inthe auto watching him. He did not seem in the least surprised. At oncehis eyes fastened on Jerry.
"Don't move! Don't move! I beg of you!" he cried to the boy. "Don't stiras you value your life. I'll lose one thousand dollars if you move thehundredth part of an inch! Easy now. Ah! There you are, my little brownbeauty. Don't move, my boy, and I'll catch it in a second!"
Somewhat puzzled at the little man's words, Jerry sat still. Hiscompanions saw on his back the little brown butterfly that had escapedfrom the tire.
Quickly the little man brought his net down on Jerry's shoulders. Oncemore the meshes were eagerly grasped, and this time it seemed withsuccess, for the little man set up a yell of delight and capered aboutlike a boy who has found a hornets' nest.
"I've got it! I've got it!" he cried. "One of the rarest butterfliesthat exist. I've been chasing after this one all day. I knew I'd getit. But pardon me, gentlemen. No doubt you are surprised. Allow me tointroduce myself. Professor Uriah Snodgrass, A. M., Ph.D., M. D., F. R.G. S., etc."
"Is that all, pardner?" asked Nestor, with a grin.
"I contemplate taking the degree of B. A. this winter, when I havecompleted my study of the fauna and flora of the prairies," replied thelittle man.
Jerry introduced himself and his companions, and said they were making atour across country.
"Just what I am doing myself," said Professor Snodgrass. "I amcollecting specimens of rare plants, stones, bugs, butterflies, in fact,anything that can add to knowledge and science. I have been out allday----"
He stopped talking and made a sudden grab at the sleeve of Nestor's coat.
"What's the matter?" exclaimed the miner. "Rattlesnake?"
"Pardon me!" replied the professor. "There was a very scarce specimen ofwhat is commonly called the potato bug on you, and I wanted it."
"I'd rather you'd have it than me," observed Nestor.
"Thank you," replied Professor Snodgrass, as he placed the bug, togetherwith the butterfly, in his green box. "What was I saying?"
"That you had been out all day," repeated Jerry.
"Oh, yes! I left town early this morning, and my labors have been richlyrepaid. See, I have my box and bag nearly full."
He showed the box. Through the glass top the boys could see that it wasfull of toads, grasshoppers, small snakes, lizards, bugs, butterfliesand bees. The bag was loaded with stones, grass, pieces of wood, plantsand flowers.
"It has been a grand day," went on the professor, enthusiastically, "andI haven't had a bit of dinner."
"None of that for mine," put in Nestor. "I wouldn't go without my mealsfor all the bugs and stones in the world."
"Ah, but you are not a naturalist," observed the professor, wiping hisbald head.
"Did you walk all the way?" asked Ned.
"No; I had a horse. And, bless my soul, I've forgotten what I did withthe beast. I got off him early this morning to chase after that brownbutterfly and I left the horse standing somewhere on the prairie."
"He evidently was too fond of your company to leave you, however," saidJerry.
"Why so, young man?" and the professor gazed up through his spectacles.
"Because that is evidently him coming along back there," and Jerrypointed to a horse slowly approaching.
"Ah, yes! There he is. I'm glad I didn't lose him, for I suppose the manfrom whom I hired him would have been angry."
"I guess yes," spoke Nestor, in a whisper.
"If you are going into town we'll ride along with you," said Ned. "Thatis, if your horse isn't afraid of automobiles."
"I don't think he is afraid of anything," replied the professor. "Icaptured a fine specimen of grasshopper on his left ear this morning,and he never shied when I put the net over his head."
The little man, seeing that his bag and box were safely strapped to hisback, and folding up his net, mounted the horse that had approachedwhere he was standing and started off alongside of the auto, which Jerryran slowly.
The boys learned that the professor was stopping in the same town wherethey planned to spend the night.
"We'll be there very soon now," observed the little man, "and I'll beglad of it, for I'm hungry."
Suddenly, from behind, there came a wild chorus of yells and shouts,revolver shots mingling with the noise.
"It's the cowboys coming back!" cried Ned.
"Nonsense; they are miles behind us," observed Nestor.
"Well, they're some kind of cowboys, anyhow," cried Jerry. "And they'reafter us."
Bang! bang! went the guns. "Whoop!" yelled the cattlemen who were ridinglike mad. "Stop the horse thief!" they shouted.
Nearer and nearer came the cattlemen, a bunch similar to those who hadwanted to run the auto.
"They seem to be after us," observed Bob.
"We haven't stolen any horses," said Ned.
"What's all the noise about?" asked Professor Snodgrass, suddenlybecoming aware that there was some commotion. He was riding close to theauto.
There came a hissing, whistling sound in the air. A long, thin line shotforward. A loop settled around the professor's neck. The next instant hewas jerked, none too gently, from the back of his horse and fell to theground. He had been lassoed from behind by one of the cowboys.
Jerry shut off the power and the auto stopped. In a few seconds itwas surrounded by a crowd of angry men. Several of them drew theirrevolvers, while two or three busied themselves in securely binding thepoo
r professor.
"What's all this for?" asked Nestor, getting ready to draw his gun.
"I don't know as it's any of your business, unless you're in on thegame," spoke a dark-complexioned cowboy, who seemed to be the leader.
"What game?" asked the miner.
"Stealing horses," was the reply.
"Who's stolen any nags around here?" demanded Nestor.
"That bald-headed galoot!" exclaimed the cowboy. "We want him for takingthat pony he was riding. It belongs to One-Eyed Pete."
"He never stole that!" exclaimed Jerry.
"He didn't, eh? Well, he can tell that to Judge Lynch. There's only onething happens to horse thieves in this country."
"Swing him up!" yelled the cowboys, yanking Professor Snodgrass to hisfeet.