The professor bowed and said nothing. The two gentlemen from Seventh
Avenue also bowed, and they, too, said nothing.

"I'm glad ye spoke about it," said Flannery, good-naturedly, "for 'tis
always a pleasure to Mike Flannery to pay his honest debts, and I might
not have thought of it if ye had not mentioned it. I was thinkin' them
was nawthin' but common, ignorant fleas, professor."

"Ah, no!" cried the professor. "The very educate flea! The flea of
wisdom! The very teached flea!"

"Hear that, now!" said Flannery, "and did they really come all th' way
from France, professor? Or is this a joke ye are playin' on me?"

"The truly French flea!" explained the professor. "From Paris herselfs.
The genuine. The import flea."

"And to think ye brought thim all th' way yerself, professor! For ye
did, I believe?"

"Certain!" cried all three.

"An' t' think of a flea bein' worth a dollar!" said Flannery. "Thim
can't be crude fleas at sich a price, professor."

"No! Certain, no!" cried the three men again.

"Not crude," said Flannery, "and imported by th' professor! 'T is odd I
should have seen a refirince t' them very things this very day,
professor. 'T is in this book here." He took the list of customs duties