CHAPTER XXX
THE BUTTERFLIES--CONCLUSION
"Well of all the queer actions!" exclaimed Jerry as he reached the spotwhere the alligator was stretched out dead. "I think Noddy must becrazy!"
They discussed the matter at some length and decided they had bettertell the professor about it. They found the scientist tired out withhis long and unsuccessful search for the rare butterfly.
"Maybe Noddy's troubles have sent him temporarily out of his mind,"said Mr. Snodgrass. "I think it is our duty to do what we can for him,even if he has, in the past, acted as the enemy of you boys. We'll gosee him in the morning."
They started off early the next day for Noddy's camp. As theyapproached they saw the youth standing in the same place he hadoccupied the previous day.
"Hey, Noddy!" called Jerry when still some distance away from him.
"The wind is blowing the wrong way. He can't hear you," remarked Mr.Snodgrass. "Try again."
"Noddy!" called Jerry. Still Noddy did not turn his head. Then allthree boys united in a chorus of shouts. The Cresville bully gave noindication of having heard them.
"He's deaf!" exclaimed the professor, and this view of the matterwas confirmed a moment later when Ned, having touched Noddy on theshoulder, was confronted by a very much surprised youth. Jerry, Boband Mr. Snodgrass joined Ned at Noddy's side. The latter looking inwonderment from one to the other, took out a piece of paper and apencil and, handing them to Jerry, said:
"I am totally deaf. I ate some queer kind of red berries and I've lostmy hearing. You'll have to write out your questions for me."
"What are you doing here?" wrote Jerry.
"I'm camping here until I have that dispute over the cocoanut grovesettled," Noddy replied with something of his old manner. "I've got acolored man staying with me. When I found I was deaf I sent him off tothe village for some medicine. He hasn't come back and I guess he ranaway with my money. I was watching for him to come on a path throughthe swamp yesterday when that alligator got after me. I couldn't hearyou when you yelled at me, but I felt the ground tremble when thealligator threshed around after you shot it. I was so frightened that Iran away."
The professor, who was impressed by Noddy's plight, urged him toaccompany the boys back north. The three chums were willing to letby-gones be by-gones, and aid their former enemy, who was glad enoughto accept help. His money was all gone and his food supplies runninglow. What he would have done had not the boys discovered him would behard to say.
Noddy's tent was taken down and he was brought to the other camp.There, made miserable by his deafness and his failure to secure acocoanut grove, he sat apart, refusing to talk.
That evening, when the three chums were beginning to wonder if Mr.Snodgrass had not become lost in the swamp, they heard a shouting alongthe path that led through the morass.
"That sounds like him," said Bob.
"It is!" exclaimed Ned a moment later as the professor came into view.He was fairly leaping up and down, holding something in his hands.
"Did a snake bite you?" inquired Jerry anxiously.
"No! I've got three of the butterflies! I caught them in the swamp afew minutes ago!" cried the delighted professor, and, hurrying up tothe boys he showed in a little glass-sided box, the beautiful insects.The bodies were pink, while the large wings were of mingled blue andgold.
"I've got them!" repeated Mr. Snodgrass. "They were feeding on somebeautiful flowers and first I thought they were blossoms, but theirwings moved and I put the net over them. Now I'll get the reward and acommission to travel all over the world for the museum. Oh, boys! Thishas been a most delightful trip!"
"With certain parts left out," murmured Jerry, and Bob agreed with him.
"We'll start back to-morrow," went on the scientist. "I want to getthese butterflies to the museum as soon as possible."
They broke camp the next morning. Noddy, sullen and unhappy,accompanied them. Now that his mind was at peace from having securedhis prize, the professor began to study Noddy's case. He learned whatthe red berries were, and by looking in some of his scientific booksdiscovered a remedy. This he administered the unfortunate youth who, ina few days, had his hearing completely restored.
"We'd better give him the message now," said Jerry one afternoon, and,as communication was now easier Noddy was told of being wanted as awitness in the lighthouse matter. He said nothing on hearing this, butshowed by his manner that he was alarmed.
"I don't believe he'll answer that summons," ventured Jerry, and he wasright. The next morning Noddy's bunk in the _Dartaway_ was vacant. Hehad slipped away in the night. However, the chums did not worry abouthim as they were near Kissimmee City and they thought Noddy could takecare of himself, now that his hearing was restored.
Mr. Seabury was found at the hotel adjoining the land Jerry's motherowned. In response to a telegram from her son, Mrs. Hopkins authorizedhim to sell the land to Mr. Seabury, and it was disposed of for agoodly sum.
"You must stay at my hotel for a week or so," said the gentleman to theboys. To this they agreed. Uriah Snodgrass, however, took the firsttrain he could get for the north.
"Where are you going next?" asked Rose, of Jerry one day.
"We haven't made up our minds," answered Jerry. "Where are you going?"
"We three girls are probably going with papa to California. He thinksthe climate there may do him good."
"I'd like to go to California myself," put in Ned.
"Yes, and sail on the Pacific," added Bob. "Say, that would be fine,eh?" he cried.
"We'd like to meet you out there," said Nellie.
"It would be glorious!" cried Jerry. And how they did meet, and whatstrange adventures befell all, will be told in another volume, whichI shall call, "The Motor Boys on the Pacific; Or, The Young DerelictHunters." It was an outing that none of them ever forgot.
"Well, there's nothing to keep us down south any longer, I guess,"remarked Jerry one morning. "What do you say that we start back north?The professor has gone on with his butterflies, I've sold mother'sland, and we did Noddy a good turn."
"Not to mention that we had more adventures than we counted on," saidBob.
"And met some nice girls," added Ned, with a sigh, for Ned had rather asoft spot in his heart for all young ladies.
"Then let's arrange to go home," urged Jerry, and they did.
So here, for a time, we will take leave of the motor boys. That theywere destined to take part in many more incidents seems very probable,for they were boys who did not hesitate to undertake anything thatoffered a spice of novelty, nor were they deterred by a littleflavoring of danger.
THE END.
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The Motor Boys in Strange Waters; or, Lost in a Floating Forest Page 30