CHAPTER II
PROFESSOR SNODGRASS ARRIVES
The three chums quickened their pace and were soon at the academy,where they were greeted by a number of boy friends.
"Where are you fellows going this vacation? Out west, down to Mexicoor the North Pole? Lots of fun--never say die--right side up withcare--automobiles--motor boats--flying machines--don't stop--redflag--danger--never mind--go on--whoop!"
"Let up, Andy Rush!" exclaimed Jerry, laughing. "Give us a chance tocatch our breath, please," and he looked at a small boy who, in thestress of excitement, (which was the state he was continually in), wastrying to talk to the three chums at once.
"But I want to know," insisted Andy.
"We don't know ourselves," replied Bob. "Go get a drink of ice water,Andy. Your windpipe must be hot after all that."
There was a general laugh at the small boy's expense, and thenthe pupils went inside. While they are thus off the stage for abrief period opportunity will be afforded to make the reader betteracquainted with them.
The three chums, who, because of their long association with eachother, and the part an automobile and motor boat had played in theiradventures, had come to be known as the "Motor Boys," lived in thetown of Cresville, not far from Boston. They were Jerry Hopkins, sonof a widow who was well-to-do, Ned Slade, whose father owned a largedepartment store, and Bob Baker, the offspring of a rich banker.
In the first volume of this series, entitled "The Motor Boys," wasrelated how the chums became possessed of motor cycles and how, bytaking part in races, they won a large touring car. Their adventures onthe motor cycles were more than equalled by those that happened to themwhen they had their auto, as was told in the second book, "The MotorBoys Overland." They conducted a successful search for a gold mine inNevada, and aided an old prospector in securing it, though Noddy Nixonand his crony Bill Berry tried to get it away from them. It was on thistrip that the boys became acquainted with Professor Uriah Snodgrass, alearned man whose hobby was collecting bugs and butterflies.
In recognition of their aid the boys were given shares in the goldmine, which paid well. It was this mine to which Noddy referred when heboasted to Ned of his cocoanut grove.
At the suggestion of Professor Snodgrass the boys decided to takeanother trip, as described in the third volume of this series, "TheMotor Boys in Mexico." In this they discovered a buried ancient city,had fights with the Mexicans, and Bob was kidnapped but escaped.
Deciding to visit their mine on their way back to the United States,the three chums had rather a hard time of it. Their doings and thethings that happened to them are told in the fourth book of the series,"The Motor Boys Across the Plains." They rescued a small boy from thehands of a bad gang of men, and this boy proved to be the son of aqueer hermit, who lived on the shores of a lake.
The boys reached home safely, and with quite a sum of money to theircredit. With part of this they purchased a fine, large motor boat,called the _Dartaway_. In her they had a series of adventures on riverand lake, as related in "The Motor Boys Afloat." They took part inraces, won a prize, discovered the mystery of a strange schooner andcleared up the robbery of Mr. Slade's department store.
But more exciting times awaited them. Their next vacation (for alltheir fun was had during the summers when there was no school) wasspent at Harmon Beach, on the Atlantic coast, as recorded by me in"The Motor Boys on the Atlantic." There they made the acquaintanceof "Salt-Water Sam," an old sailor and whaler, and with him made asuccessful chase after a whale and a shark. They also uncovered a plotto change the signals in a lighthouse, so that a steamer might be luredon the rocks, foiling the men, and aiding the aged keeper and his nieceJess.
Noddy Nixon, as the partner of Bill Berry (though Noddy claimed he didnot know of the enormity of the offense) had a hand in the lighthouseplot. As soon as it failed Bill Berry disappeared and Noddy was not tobe found for some time. Then, as there was no charge against him, Noddyreturned to his home. His father would believe nothing wrong concerninghim, and the bully was soon as bold as before. Being well supplied withmoney he had spent some of it in buying land in Florida, as Ned hasalready related. Bill Berry did not come back to Cresville, which factmade the three chums rejoice, for they did not wish to see that rascalagain.
"Closing exercises this afternoon, which will be short and sweet,"observed Bob, as he and his friends came from the academy at noon, "andthen to map out a summer campaign."
"Yes, we want to get busy," said Ned. "No use wasting time. You fellowscome to my house to-night and we'll look over some maps and plan acruise. The motor boat is better than ever with the improvements we puton her last fall."
"I'll be there," called Jerry, as he left his two chums. "I've got togo on an errand for my mother now, but I'll be on hand after supper."
"So will I," added Bob. "I may be a little late though, because--"
"Because he has to eat so much supper; eh, Chunky?" and Jerry laughedas he shot that parting shaft.
"I promise to provide a light lunch at ten o'clock if you'll stay thatlate," called Ned. "So long!"
The afternoon exercises passed off successfully, and with farewellsfrom their teachers the three chums, as well as all the lads in theacademy, bade good-bye to the place of learning and scattered for thelong summer vacation. The motor boys, who were all in the same class,walked down the street, arm in arm, as three fine lads as one couldwish for,--tall, strong, full of recourse in times of danger, brave andfearless--excellent types of the American Boy.
"Let's each think of some plan for a trip," proposed Ned, as theyparted to go to their several homes. "We can talk 'em all overto-night."
A few hours later the three chums were at Ned's house. On the librarytable he had spread out a number of geographies, guide books and maps,and the boys were soon pouring over them. They talked a perfect babble,the only things that could be distinguished now and then being suchexpressions as:
"How about a trip to Maine?"
"What's the matter with doing the Gulf of Mexico?"
"We could go to Cuba if the weather kept good."
"The Bermudas aren't so very far off."
"Say, we'll never settle anything this way," called Ned after an hourhad been spent in fruitless discussion. "I've got a plan."
"What is it?" asked Jerry.
"Let each one write on a slip of paper the place he'd like to go to.We'll drop the slips in a hat and one of us, blindfolded, can pull aslip out. We'll go wherever the slip says."
"Suits me," exclaimed Bob, and Jerry nodded assent.
Pencils and paper were provided, and the boys were about to write downtheir choices when there came a knock on the library door. A momentlater the portal opened and Mr. Slade was looking in on the chums.
"A visitor to see you," he announced.
"To see who?" asked Ned.
"All three of you. Let me present Professor Uriah Snodgrass."
"Professor Snodgrass!" exclaimed the three boys in a surprised chorus."Where did he come from?"
"I just arrived," announced a little man with very large spectacles, ashe stepped past Mr. Slade and bowed to the boys. "I reached town thisafternoon, and inquired for Mr. Slade's store, as I had some businessto transact. He heard my name, and remembered me. He invited me to callthis evening, and--here I am."
"Yes, and just in time, too," cried Ned.
"How is that? Have you just captured a rare specimen of a mosquito ora June bug for me?" and the professor was ready at once to mount hishobby and start off on a scientific discussion.
"Not exactly," answered Ned, "but we are trying to decide where to goin our motor boat for our vacation. Perhaps you can help us out."
"I'm afraid not," the professor replied. "I never took a vacation inmy life, and I do not know where would be a good place to spend one. Iknow where I am going this summer."
"Where?" asked Jerry.
"I am going to Florida, to search for a very rare butterfly. It ispink, with blue and gold wings, an
d a certain museum has offered mefive thousand dollars for a perfect specimen. It is to be found inFlorida only, and I am off for the everglades next week."
"That's a lot of money for a butterfly," remarked Ned.
"Yes, but the museum can afford it," went on the scientist. "No otherscientific place in the world has this kind of a butterfly and themuseum I speak of will be the envy of all the others. But it is notonly for the money that would come to me that I would like to get thatbutterfly.
"If I succeed I hope to get a position with the museum. A sort ofcommission to travel for them into all parts of the world aftercurious bugs and relics. That is my ambition, and that is why I amgoing to try for this butterfly. It means a great deal to me, as, allmy life, I have wanted to be on the staff of some good museum, in orderto search for curiosities for it. So you see it is not only the fivethousand dollars I am after, though, of course that sum will be veryacceptable."
"Do you think you can find the butterfly?" asked Mr. Slade, muchinterested.
"I hope so," replied Uriah Snodgrass. "As I have said, it is very rare,and very difficult to catch. I have read of a number of specimens beingfound but they were in poor condition, or discolored, and it is for therare coloring of this species that it is desired by the museum."
"I hope you are successful," answered Ned's father. "I have oftenwondered, when looking at the collection of insects in a museum, howthey got so many different kinds. Now I understand. It is due to theefforts of such men as you."
Jerry arose from his chair. The light of excitement gleamed in his eyes.
"I have it, fellows," he cried.
"What! Not that rare pink butterfly?" cried the professor, showinggreat interest.
"No, but a plan. Let's go to Florida in the _Dartaway_. It will be afine trip. We'll take you with us, Professor. There's lots of room."
For a moment no one spoke. Jerry stood up looking from his chums to theprofessor, and then to Mr. Slade.
"I would like nothing better than to go with you boys," Mr. Snodgrassanswered. "When can you start?"
"To-morrow!" cried Ned. "That's a fine idea, Jerry! That beats drawingpapers from a hat. Florida it is! What do you say, Bob?"
"Couldn't be better. I always was fond of oranges and cocoanuts."
"Then we're off for the everglades!" exclaimed Ned, beginning to do adance around the room. "Can we go, father?"
"Well, I presume it's no use saying no, so I may as well consent,"answered Mr. Slade. "But I guess it will take you longer than untilto-morrow to get ready."
"We can start next week," put in Jerry. "That will suit the professor."
"Excellent," spoke the scientist, as he began creeping up on anunsuspecting June bug that was crawling on the table.
"That settles it!" remarked Ned. "Now let's get a geography and layout a line of march."
"Is my son here?" asked a woman's voice, and the boys looked up to seeJerry's mother and Mrs. Slade standing in the library door.
"Here I am," replied Jerry. "What is it, mother?"
"I was calling in this neighborhood," went on Mrs. Hopkins. "I knew youwere here and I thought I'd step in and ask you to take me home."
"Of course I will, mother. We were just planning another cruise."
"You're always doing that," said Mrs. Hopkins with a sigh. "I can't seewhy you boys don't stay home one vacation."
"We want to see the world," declared Ned. "This time we are going toFlorida."
"Florida?" asked Mrs. Hopkins as if surprised.
"Why not, mother?" asked Jerry.
"Oh, I suppose that place is as safe as any. I was just thinking ofsomething," Mrs. Hopkins went on. "I once bought some land in Florida,but after I got the deed I received word that the property waspractically worthless and I never did anything about it. I have the olddeed home now."
"Where is this land, mother?" asked Jerry. "I never heard you speak ofit."
"No, because I was sorry I lost the money I paid for it. The land issomewhere in the central part of the state I believe. I'll show you thedeed when we get home."
"Yes, and if we get to Florida we'll look up this property," went onthe widow's son. "Perhaps it has increased in value. This gives usanother reason for going to the everglades," and he laughed.
Once more the three boys began scanning the maps and guide books, whileMrs. Hopkins and Mrs. Slade conversed about household matters. A littlelater Jerry escorted his mother home and she showed him the old deed,of which he took possession.
"Who knows but what it may prove valuable," he said.
"I hope it does," remarked Mrs. Hopkins. "I would like to get my moneyback."
Jerry returned to Ned's house, promising his mother to come home againas soon as more details of the proposed trip were settled.
"Don't lose that deed," cautioned Mrs. Hopkins.
Jerry, with a laugh, promised to keep it safely. He found his chumsstill discussing the best means of getting to the land of theeverglades. They little realized what lay before them, nor what was tohappen before they reached Cresville again.