"
"That's right," assented Ned. "Well, what's
the next move?"
There seemed to be some doubt about this
on the part of both expeditions. At the sight
of Professor Beecher, Professor Bumper, who had
come out of his tent, hurriedly turned to Tom
and asked him what he thought it best to do.
"Do!" exclaimed the eccentric Mr. Damon,
not giving Tom time to reply. "Why, stand
your ground, of course! Bless my house and
lot! but we're here first! For the matter of that,
I suppose the jungle is free and we can no more
object to his coming: here than he can to our
coming. First come, first served, I suppose is the
law of the forest."
Meanwhile the surprise occasioned by the
unexpected meeting of their rivals seemed to have
spread something like consternation among the
white members of the Beecher party. As for the
natives they evidently did not care one way or
the other.
There was a hasty consultation among the
professors accompanying Mr. Beecher, and then the
latter himself advanced toward the tents of Tom
and his friends and asked:
"How long have you been here?"
"I don't see that we are called upon to answer
that question," replied Professor Bumper stiffly.
"Perhaps not, and yet----"
"There is no perhaps about it!" said Professor
Bumper quickly. "I know what your object is,
as I presume you do mine. And, after what
I may term your disgraceful and unsportsmanlike
conduct toward me and my friends, I prefer
not to have anything further to do with you.
Pages:
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113