"Give us your hand, Professor. I was on my way ter see you when that
thar buzz wagon busted me higher nor a turkey buzzard."

"On your way to see me?" echoed the professor in amazed tones.

"Yes, siree bob, that very identical thing," was the bronzed miner's
reply.

"But I don't quite understand. You see I----"

"That's all right, Professor. We'll git down ter pay dirt direc'ly,"
said the miner. "You know of the Scientific Society in Bosting, of
course?"

"I am a member of that body, sir," was the dignified reply of the
little man.

"Well, they giv' me your name. Said you was the biggest bug on rocks,
minerals and sich in the country and so I sets out to pay a call on
you."

"But you were many miles from where I live," said the professor. "The
railroad, or the trolley----"

"Don't carry folks for nothing," interrupted Zeb, "and nothing's my
capital right now."

"You mean that you were walking from Boston?" asked the professor.

"That's right," was the reply. "Landed there on ship from round the