CHAPTER V
PROFESSOR SNODGRASS
For a moment Jerry’s chums looked at him curiously, and then Nedexclaimed:
“That’s right! There may be something back of all this. Come on, Bob,help get some of this mud.”
“Say, it’s nasty and sticky,” complained the stout youth, who wassomewhat fastidious about his personal appearance.
“Oh, never mind!” laughed Jerry, who did not mind soiling his hands.“I only want a little for analysis. I’ve got enough,” and he wrapped achunk in some green leaves that he pulled from a wild grapevine.
“And you really think it might be of some value?” asked Ned, washinghis hands in a pool of water, for he had dug up a small chunk of theyellow clay for Jerry.
“As I said, I’m not a bit sure--only suspicious,” spoke the tall lad.“It’s worth taking a chance on, that’s all. And certainly, if whatFussel says is true, and he’s draining the swamp, mother’s land won’tbe of any use unless that’s drained also. And, in case there’s novalue in this clay, she might as well get rid of her property to thisconcern, that has offered a good price--that is, if there’s nothingback of it.”
“Then if you can’t find anything valuable in this clay you’ll adviseher to sell?” asked Ned.
“I think so. And from the fact that several persons have tried to findsome use for this yellow mud, and have failed, I’m not very hopeful,”went on Jerry. “But it would be a fine thing if mother could make somemoney out of this swamp land. For she has lost considerable of late.”
“Has she?” asked Bob, sympathetically. “I thought you said a few daysago that it wasn’t much.”
“It’s turned out worse since then,” and Jerry’s usually smiling facewore a worried look. “In fact, fellows, my mother may be very glad tosell this swamp land,” he went on.
“No wonder he was absent-minded,” confided Bob to Ned in a whisper, asthey got in the motor boat, while Jerry was busy loosing the bow line.
“Yes--I had no idea the trouble was so serious,” admitted Ned. “Well,we’ll help him if we can.”
“That’s what!” agreed the stout youth, heartily.
On the way down Cabbage Creek the boys talked of the clay-diggers,speculating as to what could be their object. But they could arrive atno definite conclusion.
“I wonder if you’re of any use after all?” exclaimed Jerry, kicking thelump of yellow clay at his feet.
“It might be good to caulk a boat,” suggested Ned, “and I see we’ve gota little leak here,” he added, as he pointed to some water in the pitbelow the flywheel of the motor.
“That comes in through the stuffing-box,” said Jerry. “It just needs alittle tightening. We’ll haul her out to-morrow.”
“Yes, we ought to get her in good trim, and take a long trip,”suggested Bob. “We could pack up a lot of grub----”
“There he goes! Grab him before he makes it any worse!” laughed Ned,extending a hand to clap over Bob’s mouth. But the fat lad evaded histormentor.
“That’s all right!” Bob protested. “We’ll want something to eat if wego on a cruise; won’t we?”
“Sure we will!” agreed Jerry. “Don’t let him worry you, Bob. He’s justas fond of eating as you are, Chunky, only he hides his bad habit. But,seriously, fellows, what are we going to do this vacation?”
“We ought to do something,” declared Ned. “Every summer we have gonesomewhere, or done something. I wouldn’t mind finding another buriedMexican city.”
“Me either!” cried Bob. “Or locating the hermit of Lost Lake.”
“That wasn’t a bad stunt,” admitted Jerry. “I don’t know as I carefor a trip like our last one, though, in a submarine. It’s a littletoo uncertain, especially when you’re cooped up under the sea with amadman.”
“You’ve said it!” cried Bob. “I think our airship stunts were aboutas good as any. The time we went after that fortune we had lots ofexciting times.”
“And when we were over the ocean, looking for the lost dirigible--thatkept us guessing,” said Ned.
“Quit it, fellows,” begged Jerry. “You’re getting me all excited. Iwant to start off on a trip right now!”
“Why don’t we?” asked Bob, quickly.
Jerry, for answer, kicked the lump of clay at his feet.
“I first want to get this business settled,” said the tall lad. “Afterthat I may go off somewhere.”
“Don’t forget us,” urged Ned. “We want to be in it.”
“Oh, we’ll all go together,” Jerry agreed. “It won’t take long tosettle the question about this clay, I think. And then we can go off ona trip. What’ll we take--the airship, motor boat or automobile?”
“All three!” cried Bob.
“That’s a little too much of a proposition,” laughed Jerry. “We mightcut out the airship, and take turns using the car and this boat. Wecould send the car on ahead, and after a long cruise pick up the autoat some place, journey as far as we liked in that, and come back to theboat.”
“That sounds good!” cried Ned. “Let’s do it!”
None of the chums realized under what strange circumstances they weresoon to take a trip of that sort.
“Well, we’ll think about it,” agreed Jerry, as he guided the boat onher homeward course.
With this new thought to occupy their minds the boys found plenty totalk about, varying their remarks occasionally with references to theclay-diggers.
“Jerry,” began Ned, diffidently, “if you’re short of cash, you know--Imean if your mother’s investments--oh, hang it! Say, if you want aloan, you know where to come for it!” he cried.
“Say, count me in on that!” added Bob, with energy.
“I’ve got my mining stock,” went on Ned, “and you know if it hadn’tbeen for you we wouldn’t have that! So call on me for all you want,Jerry!”
“And me, too!” interjected Bob.
“That’s awfully good of you fellows,” spoke Jerry, his voice a bithusky. “But it isn’t as bad as that. I have my stock, too, when itcomes to that. But I don’t imagine we’ll go to the poor house thisyear. I appreciate your offers just the same.”
The boys were in receipt of comfortable sums of money from a gold minethey had helped an old miner to recover, as told in a previous volume.
Winding in and out, along the devious channel of Cabbage Creek, themotor boat finally reached the broader river that led to the dock nearJerry’s house. As the craft approached the little pier the boys saw asmall crowd assembled on it.
“Hello! Something’s up!” exclaimed Jerry, who was guiding the swiftcraft.
“Hope nobody has fallen overboard,” observed Ned, anxiously.
A moment later they heard a shrill voice crying:
“He’s got it! There it is! Hold his legs, somebody! Don’t let him fallin! Oh, he’s got it! A big one, too!”
“That’s Andy Rush!” cried Bob. “It sure is!”
“Yes, and somebody is evidently in the water,” chimed in Ned. “Hurryup!”
“No, he spoke of an ‘it,’” declared Jerry. “And there isn’t quiteenough excitement to indicate a drowning.”
“Well, speed up and see what it is,” suggested Ned.
“Hurray! He’s got it!” cried Andy Rush, and the excitable chap could beseen dancing about the outer edge of the crowd on the dock.
Jerry guided the boat to the stringpiece. The crowd moved back, andparted. A small man, who had been stretched out full length, with hishead and shoulders over the edge of the wharf, suddenly arose. He had asmall net in his hands, and something in the meshes was wiggling.
“I have it!” cried the little man. His hat fell off, revealing ashiny bald head and a pair of spectacled eyes. “I have it!” he criedagain. “The finest specimen of a calico bass I have ever seen! Now mycollection is complete!”
He held the dripping net and the wiggling fish afloat, and then hiseyes fell on the boys.
“Professor Snodgrass!” cried Bob.
r /> Jerry said nothing. He shut off the motor, and, as he looked at thelump of yellow clay in the bottom of the boat, he thought:
“This is most opportune! I’ll get Professor Snodgrass to analyze thisfor me.”