here; but first tell us what you knew about the _Investigator_. You
seemed to know about the sailing date."

"I was booked to sail in her as one of the instructors, but a serious
illness, contracted in Africa, from the previous visit there, prevented
me from accepting the berth, and she sailed without me."

"Isn't that a singular coincidence," exclaimed Ralph. "My uncle told me
that one of his tutors at college, by the name of Varney, would be on
the ship, and that is one of the reasons he so strongly urged me to sign
for the trip."

"Your name--what was his name?"

"Stratton; James Stratton?"

"Jim Stratton, the big, healthy, jolly boy! Everybody liked him. And you
are his nephew?"

Then turning to Chief the Professor asked: "Do you remember when and how
we captured him?" John looked and tried to recall the incident. "No, I
do not now think of anything which is familiar, nor do I remember seeing
him until a moment ago."

"But if you are not too much exhausted, we would be interested in the
history."

"I do not suppose that my history, previous to reaching the island,
would be very interesting, but as you have asked it I will briefly
relate it."

CHAPTER XIV

JOHN'S WONDERFUL STORY

"I was born on the Atlantic seacoast in a small New England town. My
parents were the richest people in the community, and it was their
ambition, as it was mine, to finish my education at one of the great
universities there; but shortly after my entrance as a student the
entire fortune of my parents was swept away, and I was compelled to seek
employment.

"I was provided with a place in a commercial house in which my guardian
was interested, and the only consideration shown me during the six
months I remained there was the amount of work they could get out of me.
Like many other boys I ran away, and took a position on a sailing
vessel. This was the turning point in my career.

"I was fortunate enough to fall into the hands of a captain who was,
undoubtedly, an exception to his class, but he had in early years been a
pedagogue, and seeing the disposition on my part to make a constant use
of his library, of which he had a most wonderful store, he took me from
the drudgery, which was my early lot, and made me his assistant.

"I was a good penman, and before long I was entrusted with the position
of recording and entry clerk for the ship, and I took charge of the
log, and did things of that kind under his supervision d