sessed for me an extraordinary allurement----

A little after two o'clock a cab drove to the after gangplank and
stopped. From it alighted a young man of whom I shall later have occasion
to tell you more, followed by Dr. Schermerhorn. The young man carried
only a light leather "serviette," such as students use abroad; while the
doctor fairly staggered under the weight of a square, brass-bound chest
without handles. The singularity of this unequal division of labour
struck me at once.

It struck also one of the dock men, who ran forward, eager for a tip.

"Kin I carry th' box for you, boss?" he asked, at the same time reaching
for it.

The doctor's thin figure seemed fairly to shrink at the idea.

"No, no!" he cried. "It iss not for you to carry!"

He hastened up the gangplank, clutching the chest close. At the top
Captain Selover met him.

"Hello, doctor," he squeaked. "Here in good time. We're busy, you see.
Let me carry your chest for you."

"No, no!" Dr. Schermerhorn fairly glared.

"It's almighty heavy," insisted the captain. "Let me give you a hand."

"You must not _touch!_" emphatically ordered the scientist. "Where
iss the cabin?"

He disappeared down the companionway clasping his precious load. The
young man remained on deck to superintend the stowing of the scientific
goods and the personal baggage.

All this time I had been thinking busily. I remembered distinctly one
other instance when Dr. Schermerhorn had disappeared. He came back
inscrutably, but within a week his results on aerial photography were
public property. I told myself that in the present instance his lavish
use of money, the elaborate nature of his preparations, the evident
secrecy of the expedition as evidenced by the fact that he had negotiated
for the vessel only the day before setting sail, the importance of
personal supervision as proved by the fact that he--notoriously
impractical in practical matters, and notoriously disliking anything to
do with business--had conducted the affair himself instead of delegating
it,--why; gentlemen, don't you see that all this was more than enough to
wake me up, body and soul? Suddenly I came to a definite resolution.
Captain Selover had descended to the pier. I approached him.

"You need a mate," said I.

He looked me over.

"Perhaps," he admitted. "Where's your man?"

"Right here," said I.

His eyes widened a little. Otherwise he showed no sign of surprise. I
cursed my clothes.

Fo