ealthy--those old
johnnies. I'm only sorry now that I'm not an archaeologist; for if I
were I might write a book about the place and become famous. But no,
that wouldn't do either, for Professor von Schalckenberg has already
done that, so my book would only be a drug on the market. But I've
taken some rattlin' good photographs of the place, and I ought to be
able to do something with them later on--eh, what?"

"Yes," said Dick, "I dare say you will--if they come out right. Have
you developed them yet?"

"No, not yet," answered Grosvenor. "Waiting until it gets dark before I
attempt anything of that sort. But I know that they'll come out all
right. Good light, correct exposure, isochromatic screen and films;
bound to come out right, y'know. Found the place where the Professor
and his pals had been digging. Must have done a lot of work, those
johnnies; no end of soil turned over where they dug for pavements and--
and--things. And, pray, what have you been about all day, old chap?"

Dick told him, pretty well _in extenso_, how he had passed the day, even
going so far as to describe his hypnotic experiments--of which he had
said nothing to Grosvenor thus far--with the result that the Mighty
Hunter was rendered almost speechless with astonishment.

"Hypnotised 'em, eh?" he ejaculated. "Well, I'll be shot! Thought
hypnotism was all humbug and tommy rot, y'know. Collusion, and that
sort of thing."

"Yes," agreed Dick, "there is no doubt that much of it is. But,
nevertheless, hypnotism is a perfectly genuine science, and a
tremendously powerful agent for good, if properly used. There is the
well-known institution at Nancy, for instance, where several almost
miraculous cures have been effected solely by the employment of
hypnotism. Oh yes, hypnotism is genuine enough, make no mistake about
that; and the hypnotic practitioner can do many wonderful things by its
employment. For instance, do you suppose that old villain, Sekosini,
would have revealed all the details of his precious plot to-day had I
not hypnotised him?"

"No, I don't suppose he would," acknowledged Grosvenor. "But--er--I
say, old chap, I'm just wondering whether it was quite playing the
game--doin' the square thing by the wizard and the other johnnies to
make them give themselves away under the influence of hypnotism--eh,
what?"

"Ah, now," said Dick, "you raise a question of an exceedingly
controversial character. I admit, of course, th