ng, uncle," said the boy hastily. "Why, I believe, sir, you
were going to sleep!"

"Oh, I am quite wide awake, uncle," cried the boy.

"Humph, yes--now. You see, my boy, these hydras are most extraordinary
things, and to-morrow morning in the bright sunshine we will get the
microscope to work, and I'll show you how they--"

_Burr_--_burr_--_burr_--_hum_--_hum_--_hum_--_um_--_um_.

Was that Uncle Paul talking in a low tone with his voice getting farther
and farther away, or was it that big chafer spinning round and round the
room? Now it nearly died out, and then it grew louder again and seemed
to double into a duet, just as if the great stag beetle had whisked in
at the casement and had joined in the nocturnal valse, the duet seeming
to be intended to lull the naturalist and his nephew to sleep in the
soft musky sweetness of that delightful summer's night.

How long it lasted, who could say, but all at once there was a sudden
start, and Uncle Paul's hand came down with a thump upon the tablecloth
after he had knocked over one of the candlesticks, making so much noise
that, wide awake now, Rodd made a dash and stood the candlestick up
again, before snatching the candle from where it lay singeing the
lavender and red-check cotton table-cover and beginning to deposit a big
spot of grease.

"Bless my heart, Pickle!" cried Uncle Paul. "I believe I was going to
drop asleep."

"I am afraid I was asleep, uncle," replied the boy. "You were saying
that hydras--that hydras--er--er--er--something about hydras."

"Yes, yes, yes, but never mind. Perhaps we had better go to bed, and
I'll finish what I was saying in the morning. There, light the two flat
candlesticks, and we will have a good long snooze. That's right; put
out the others. No, no; use the extinguisher! Don't blow them out, or
there will be such a smell."

Then--

"Shall I shut the window, uncle?"

"Oh, no, I don't think you need. The place is like an oven. Heigho--
ha--hum! Yes, I am sleepy. Come along. Good-night, my boy. I am
going to sleep with my chamber window wide open, and you'd better do the
same."

"But I say, uncle, we shall hardly want our candles. Look at the moon.
It is almost as light as day."

All the same they took the candles up with them, the stairs creaking
again beneath their tread as if uttering a protest against them for
their forgetfulness in not attending to their hostess's request to close
and bolt the door; but