o blended in
perfectly with the deep brown of the chair and his face, which stuck
up six or eight inches, was invisible against the grayness of the
wall.

"Maybe you could get me into the Coast Guard," he said.

I frowned. "I hardly think so," I said. "I know the Commander over
there but I don't think I could swing it. Now, remember, you're going
to leave everything in my hands."

The door of my office opened then and a slim, stunning blonde walked
in, followed by a tall, gaunt, sober individual with a gloomy face and
deep black eyes. He wore a turban with an imitation jewel set in the
center folds, squarely over his high forehead.

"Hah!" this character cried. "I suppose again you will tell me there
is nothing for Mystiffio The Great, today."

"Ix-nay," I snapped. "Ut-shay up-yay!"

The blonde looked at me, eyebrows raising.

"What gives, mastermind?"

This was the act I had in mind for Horatio. Mystiffio was a fair
magician and his line of patter wasn't bad. The blonde, whose name was
Alice, acted as a prop, and with her looks and Mystiffio's line they
didn't do badly. But with Horatio in the act it would be tremendous.

He would blend perfectly into the stage background. Invisible, he
could assist Mystiffio with the hocus-pocus and really produce some
wonderful effects.

Alice was still looking at me as if I'd gone batty.

"Just trust Uncle," I said hastily. "I got a great new angle for your
act."

"You act as if you've been out in the sun too long," Alice murmured.
"But don't mind me."

With a weary sigh she sank into the brown leather chair. And one-tenth
of a second later she leaped to her feet with a scream. She wheeled
about, hand raised to slap, and then as she stared at the seemingly
empty chair, an expression of wonderment stole over her pretty face.

[Illustration: "Oh!" she screamed, and leaped from the chair]

"What--I could have sworn I--" She turned to me pleadingly. "What is
it? Am I going screwy or is there somebody sitting in that chair?"

"Horatio," I said. "Exert a little willpower and show yourself."

"All right, Mr. Flannigan," Horatio's voice from the chair answered.

Mystiffio moved nervously toward the door.

"I don't believe it," he said. His broad dark face was an unhappy
mixture of fear and surprise.

"Well, I'll be darned!" Alice cried. She was staring at the chair, or
rather at Horatio, who had suddenly become visible.

* * * * *