at there was lots of
curious critters under sticks an' stones that had laid still for a long
time. I tell yer, there wa'n't much that got away from his bright
eyes--except the pertaters!--he did n't bother them none."

A prolonged chuckle and a loud laugh greeted this sally. In the pause
that followed the stranger cleared his throat determinedly.

"See here, gentlemen," he began pompously, with more than a shade of
irritation in his voice. "_Will_ you allow me to speak? And _will_
you inform me what all this is about?"

"About? Why, it's about Professor George Marvin, to be sure," rejoined
Squire Fletcher. "Pray, what else should it be about?"

"I guess you know what it's about all right, stranger," chuckled Seth
Wilber, with a shrewd wink. "You can't fool us. Mebbe you're one o'
them fellers what thinks we don't know enough ter 'preciate a big man
when we've got him. No, sir-ree! We ain't that kind. Come, ye need
n't play off no longer. We know why you're here, an' we're glad ter
see ye, an' we're proud ter show ye the way ter our Professor's. Come
on--'t ain't fur."

The stranger drew back. His face grew red, then purple.

"I should like to know," he sputtered thickly, "I should like to know
if you really think that I--I have come 'way up here to see this old
bug man. Why, man alive, I never even heard of him!"

"What!" ejaculated three disbelieving voices, their owners too
dumfounded to take exceptions to the sneer in tone and words. "Zounds,
man!--what did you come for, then?" demanded the Squire.

The stranger raised his chin.

"See here, who do you think I am?" he demanded pompously, as he squared
himself before them in all his glory of checkered trousers, tall hat,
and flaunting watch-chain. "Who do you think I am? I am Theophilus
Augustus Smythe, sir, advance agent and head manager of the Kalamazoo
None-Like-It Salve Company. I came, sir, to make arrangements for
their arrival to-morrow morning. They show in this town to-morrow
night. Now perhaps you understand, sir, that my business is rather
more important than hunting up any old bug man that ever lived!" And
he strode to the desk and picked up the pen.

For a moment there was absolute silence; then Seth Wilber spoke.

"Well, by ginger!--you--you'd oughter have come ter see the Professor,
anyhow," he muttered, weakly, as he fell back in his chair. "Say,
Squire, 'member when Marvin--"

Over at the desk Theophilus Augustus Sm