ou."

"Not a bit of it! There's a big difference between a shot flying away
from you with all its muzzle velocity, and another one which is coming
towards you and only needs a slight deflection to strike the magnet.
Besides, by breaking the circuit I can take off the influence when I
am firing my own broadside. Then I connect, and instantly become
invulnerable."

"And your nails and screws?"

"The warship of the future will be bolted together by wood."

Well, he would talk of nothing else the whole evening but of this
wonderful invention of his. Perhaps there is nothing in it--probably
there is not; and yet it illustrates the many-sided nature of the man,
that he should not say one word about his phenomenal success here--of
which I am naturally most anxious to hear--not a word either upon the
important subject of our partnership, but will think and talk of nothing
but this extraordinary naval idea. In a week he will have tossed it
aside in all probability, and be immersed in some plan for reuniting the
Jews and settling them in Madagascar. Yet from all he has said, and all
I have seen, there can be no doubt that he has in some inexplicable way
made a tremendous hit, and to-morrow I shall let you know all about
it. Come what may, I am delighted that I came, for things promise to be
interesting. Regard this not as the end of a letter, but of a paragraph.
You shall have the conclusion to-morrow, or on Thursday at the latest.
Goodbye, and my remembrance to Lawrence if you see him. How's your
friend from Yale?

VII. THE PARADE, BRADFIELD, 9th March, 1882.

Well, you see I am as good as my word, Bertie; and here is a full
account of this queer little sample gouged out of real life, never to be
seen, I should fancy, by any eye save your own. I have written to Horton
also, and of course to my mother; but I don't go into detail with them,
as I have got into the way of doing with you. You keep on assuring me
that you like it; so on your own head be it if you find my experiences
gradually developing into a weariness.

When I woke in the morning, and looked round at the bare walls and the
basin on the packing case, I hardly knew where I was. Cullingworth came
charging into the room in his dressing gown, however, and roused me
effectually by putting his hands on the rail at the end of the bed, and
throwing a somersault over it which brought his heels on to my pillow
with a thud. He was in great spirits, and, squattin