tience," whispered back Rodd.

"No wonder," said the captain. "Well, 'tarn't my fault. I never see
such a doctor's shop and museum as he's made of the craft."

"Now, Rodney!" came from below sharply.

"Coming, uncle!" cried the boy, snatching at the brass rail, which, like
every bit of metal about the beautiful vessel, shone as brightly as if
it were part of a yacht.

The doctor was standing at the foot of the stairs with his hand upon a
door, which he had just unlocked, and he led the way into a well-lit
portion of the vessel which had originally been intended for the stowage
of cargo, but which was now fitted up with an endless number of
arrangements such as had been deemed necessary for the carrying out of
the expedition.

One portion was like a chemical laboratory. Upon dresser-like tables
fitted against the bulkhead were rows of railed-in bottles and jars, and
beneath them new bright microscopes and other apparatus such as would
gladden the heart of a naturalist. But the doctor gave merely a cursory
glance at these various objects, with whose arrangement he had long been
familiar, and made his way to where, set up on end upon a stout bench,
were about a dozen specially made spirit casks, each fitted with its tap
and a little receptacle hung beneath to catch any drops that might leak
away.

"Here, I want to test these," said the doctor; "and, by the way, ask
Captain Chubb to step down."

There was no need, for almost at the same moment the captain's heavy
step was heard upon the metal-covered cabin stairs.

"Anything I can do, sir?" he asked, in his gruff way.

"Yes, look here, captain," said the doctor, and he took a bright glass
measure from where it hung by its foot in a little rack, safe from
falling by the rolling of the vessel; "I was just going to test these
spirits, and I thought I should like you to be here."

"Hah!" said the captain. "I've thought a deal about all them little
barrels put so handy there, ready on tap, and it's the only thing I
don't like, Dr Robson."

"Why?" said Uncle Paul shortly.

"Why, it's just like this, sir. I have picked you out as sober a crew
as ever went on a voyage, but sailors are sailors, sir, and I don't
think it's right to be throwing temptation in their way."

"But this, my workshop, where I bottle my specimens, will always be kept
under lock and key."

"Nay!" snorted the captain.

"But I tell you it will," cried Uncle Paul. "Nobody will have any