“Certainly,” was the answer. “It is sent over to us from a certain place in Jupiter. They cultivate it there and may give you some if you wish it. I will inquire, but I must leave you to be alone;” saying which he left them to transmit the message, returning shortly to say, “I have a reply. If you go to Jupiter, and travel round the planet till you find a large mountain with a crater like a flat cross, the people will meet you there.” “Could you not give us some of yours?” inquired Dennis, “and so prevent the risk of our getting wrong?” “No, you would have to get them from the animal direct and breed them on your Earth to do any good. Ours are reared here, and would die if they were taken away.” All were considerably excited, and determined to take a few specimens of this extraordinary creature back to Earth as a curiosity, but in discussing the matter, a daring scheme occurred to them which this bug might be the means of accomplishing. The Bonians advised them to enlist the services of a clever microscopist and bacteriologist, in order that they might deal with the creatures scientifically from the outset. This, of course, necessitated a journey back to Earth, and as they were now their normal selves there was no reason for delaying their departure; they therefore decided to return home the following week, which would make a three months’ stay on Bona, so this news was ‘waved’ to Earth, in accordance with the prearranged custom; for at the close of each day they had carefully ‘waved’ their doings in detail—all except the blueness and the object of their return; the former seemed unnecessary, and it would be soon enough to publish the latter when the bug was within their grasp. “Now about the expert. Who will be best? Godfrey Spenser?” asked Ross, in the midst of their preparations for departure. “Most decidedly!” responded Dennis; “but we must look after him, as he is a bit of a crank.” “Very much so,” agreed Ross, laughing. “In his own line he is a genius, but strange to say, he has a fixed idea that his special forte is in electricity, about which he knows just enough to kill us all if we don’t mind.” “Oh, he’ll be all right on board,” declared Dennis. “Once get him on the grub and microbe tack and he’ll forget to meddle.” “We must hope so, anyway!” answered Ross. “I only know him as a microscopist,” said Gilbert, smiling. “In that he stands alone,” said Ross. “Shall we have him if he’ll come?” “I think so, if Gilbert is agreeable,” replied Dennis; and on Gilbert assenting, he continued, “I am sure we couldn’t do better, and as for coming, he’ll be only too glad; he pressed me to allow him to come here with us, but I thought it best not.”