possible
for any human being to do such a thing. But I know Grider so well----"

"It is the smallest possible credit to you, Mr. Prime," she snapped.
"You ought to be ashamed to have such a man for a friend!"

"I am," he acceded, humbly enough. "Grider weighs about fifty pounds
more than I do, and he took three initials in athletics in the
university. But I pledge you my word I shall beat him to a frazzle for
this when I get the chance."

"A lot of good that does us now!" scoffed the poor victim. And then she
got up and walked away, leaving him to stand gazing abstractedly at the
wheel tracks of the kidnapping air-machine.

Having lived the unexciting life of a would-be man of letters, Prime had
had none of the strenuous experiences which might have served to preface
a situation such as this in which he found himself struggling like a
fly in a web. It was absurdly, ridiculously impossible, and yet it
existed as a situation to be met and dealt with. Watching the indignant
young woman furtively, he saw that she went back to sit down beside the
ashes of the breakfast fire, again with her chin in her hands. Meaning
to be cautiously prudent, he rolled and smoked a cigarette before
venturing to rejoin her, hoping that the lapse of time might clear the
air a little.

She was staring aimlessly at the dimpled surface of the lake when he
came up and took his place on the opposite side of the ashes. The little
heap of provisions gave him an idea and an opening, but she struck in
ahead of him.

"Let me know when you expect me to pose for you," she said without
turning her head.

"I was an idiot to tell you that!" he exploded. "Can't you understand
that that fool suggestion about the desert island and a--er--a woman was
Grider's and not mine? How could I know that he would ever be criminal
enough to turn it into a fact?"

"Oh, if you can call it criminal, and really mean it--" she threw out.

"I'll call it anything in the vocabulary if only you won't quarrel with
me. Goodness knows, things are bad enough without that!"

She let him see a little more of her face. The frown had disappeared,
and there were signs that the storm of indignation was passing.

"I suppose it isn't a particle of use to quarrel," she admitted. "What
is done is done and can't be helped, however much we may agree to
despise your barbarous friend, Mr. Grider. How is it all going to end?"

At this Prime aired his small idea. "Our provisions won't las