well, Sir," said Jerry. "He has
often traveled with us, and we have helped him in his collection work.
He is connected with some of the largest museums, and goes about
getting rare specimens for them. He is no more a German spy than we
are."

"Glad to know it," commented the colonel. "Do you know anything about
this mysterious box he had?"

"No; but it is probably what he says it is--a cage for this snake,
Sir," explained Jerry. "He has any number of specimen boxes and cages
when he travels."

By this time some of the men had brought in the box in question. It
was painted green, and was about three feet long--in itself rather a
good load for one man to carry, not so much on account of its weight
as because of its shape, but with the big snake inside, one man could
not have lifted it.

"That's a snake box," said Jerry, after he had examined it, "but it is
a new one--I never saw it before."

"No, I had it made especially for Ticula," explained the professor,
who had again succeeded in quieting the serpent. "Now, my little pet,"
he went on, "I'll put you to bed."

The box was brought forward and set down on the floor in front of the
professor. The man who brought it dropped it quickly and made a hasty
retreat at the nearer sight of the reptile.

Then the scientist gently lowered the serpent's head toward the box,
which was lined with cloth. The snake seemed to recognize her
quarters, for, without hesitation, she coiled herself down in the
case, the perforated lid of which was then closed.

"There, now she is all right," said the professor. "I shall not let
her loose again until to-morrow, and then----"

"What?" yelled a lieutenant. "Are you going to turn her loose around
here _again_?"

"Why not?" asked the professor. "The observations I hoped to make
to-day as to her feeding habits in the open have been spoiled because
you arrested me as a spy. I could not conclude my experiments, and I
must continue them to-morrow. But do not be alarmed. Ticula, though
rather large, is perfectly harmless to man. Indeed, she has not yet
gotten her full growth. She is only fifteen feet long, and her kind
often grows to twenty-six feet and weighs nearly two hundred pounds.
Ticula is a mere baby."

"Some baby!" murmured a voice, and even the colonel laughed.

"And now I suppose I am at liberty to go with my property?" asked the
professor, looking around inquiringly.

"Well, since it seems that you are not a German spy, I f