Presently Merry reached the edge of the cornfield, and paused.
The shady side of the house was not over twenty feet from him, and there comfortably seated, was a florid, flashily dressed, red-mustached person.

Opposite him, in another chair, was not less a personage than Professor Phineas Borrodaile.

He was looking over his glasses in consternation at the man with the red mustache.

Grouped in the background were McGurvin and two flannel-shirted, rough-looking Arizonians.
It had been a happy inspiration of Merry's to hasten on ahead of the cowboys.

It was not afternoon, yet already the stage was set and the play for the professor's claim was being made.