BLENDING IN HIS PERSON ITS POWER AND ITS MERCY THE RELIGION OF JAPAN IS PRACTICALLY A WORSHIP OF THE STATE ITSELF PATRIOTISM IS THE EXPRESSION OF THIS WORSHIP THE JAPANESE MIND DOES NOT SPLIT HAIRS AS TO WHETHER THE EMPEROR IS HEAVEN INCARNATE OR THE STATE INCARNATE


SO FAR AS THE JAPANESE ARE CONCERNED THE EMPEROR LIVES IS HIMSELF DEITY THE EMPEROR IS THE OBJECT TO LIVE FOR AND TO DIE FOR THE JAPANESE IS NOT AN INDIVIDUALIST


HE HAS DEVELOPED NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS INSTEAD OF MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS HE IS NOT INTERESTED IN HIS OWN MORAL WELFARE EXCEPT IN SO FAR AS IT IS THE WELFARE OF THE STATE THE HONOUR OF THE INDIVIDUAL PER SE DOES NOT EXIST


ONLY EXISTS THE HONOUR OF THE STATE WHICH IS HIS HONOUR HE DOES NOT LOOK UPON HIMSELF AS A FREE AGENT WORKING OUT HIS OWN PERSONAL SALVATION SPIRITUAL AGONIZING IS UNKNOWN TO HIM HE HAS A SENSE OF CALM TRUST IN FATE


A QUIET SUBMISSION TO THE INEVITABLE A STOIC COMPOSURE IN SIGHT OF DANGER OR CALAMITY A DISDAIN OF LIFE AND FRIENDLINESS WITH DEATH HE RELATES HIMSELF TO THE STATE AS AMONGST BEES THE WORKER IS RELATED TO THE HIVE HIMSELF NOTHING


THE STATE EVERYTHING HIS REASONS FOR EXISTENCE THE EXALTATION AND GLORIFICATION OF THE STATE THE MOST ADMIRED QUALITY TO DAY OF THE JAPANESE IS HIS PATRIOTISM


THE WESTERN WORLD IS IN RHAPSODIES OVER IT UNWITTINGLY MEASURING THE JAPANESE PATRIOTISM BY ITS OWN CONCEPTIONS OF PATRIOTISM FOR GOD MY COUNTRY AND THE CZAR CRIES THE RUSSIAN PATRIOT


BUT IN THE JAPANESE MIND THERE IS NO DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE THREE THE EMPEROR IS THE EMPEROR AND GOD AND COUNTRY AS WELL THE PATRIOTISM OF THE JAPANESE IS BLIND AND UNSWERVING LOYALTY TO WHAT IS PRACTICALLY AN ABSOLUTISM


THE EMPEROR CAN DO NO WRONG NOR CAN THE FIVE AMBITIOUS GREAT MEN WHO HAVE HIS EAR AND CONTROL THE DESTINY OF JAPAN NO GREAT RACE ADVENTURE CAN GO FAR NOR ENDURE LONG WHICH HAS NO DEEPER FOUNDATION THAN MATERIAL SUCCESS


NO HIGHER PROMPTING THAN CONQUEST FOR CONQUEST'S SAKE AND MERE RACE GLORIFICATION TO GO FAR AND TO ENDURE IT MUST HAVE BEHIND IT AN ETHICAL IMPULSE A SINCERELY CONCEIVED RIGHTEOUSNESS


BUT IT MUST BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE ABOVE POSTULATE IS ITSELF A PRODUCT OF WESTERN RACE EGOTISM URGED BY OUR BELIEF IN OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND FOSTERED BY A FAITH IN OURSELVES WHICH MAY BE AS ERRONEOUS AS ARE MOST FOND RACE FANCIES


SO BE IT THE WORLD IS WHIRLING FASTER TO DAY THAN EVER BEFORE IT HAS GAINED IMPETUS AFFAIRS RUSH TO CONCLUSION THE FAR EAST IS THE POINT OF CONTACT OF THE ADVENTURING WESTERN PEOPLE AS WELL AS OF THE ASIATIC


WE SHALL NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR OUR CHILDREN'S TIME NOR OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN WE SHALL OURSELVES SEE AND LARGELY DETERMINE THE ADVENTURE OF THE YELLOW AND THE BROWN FENG WANG CHENG MANCHURIA


WHICH WAS THE BIG NEWS OF THE DAY AND HOW COULD I NOT HAVE BEEN


THIS MYSTERY PUZZLED ME FINDING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO FORM ANY VIEWS I DRIFTED FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER SOMETHING WAS OUT THERE THAT MUCH WAS CERTAIN AND ANY DOUBTING THOMAS WAS INVITED TO PLACE HIS FINGER ON THE SCOTIA'S WOUND WHEN I ARRIVED IN NEW YORK


ALSO DISCREDITED WAS THE IDEA OF A FLOATING HULL OR SOME OTHER ENORMOUS WRECKAGE AND AGAIN BECAUSE OF THIS SPEED OF MOVEMENT SO ONLY TWO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO THE QUESTION WERE LEFT CREATING TWO VERY DISTINCT GROUPS OF SUPPORTERS


IT COULDN'T STAND UP TO INQUIRIES CONDUCTED IN BOTH THE NEW WORLD AND THE OLD THAT A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL HAD SUCH A MECHANISM AT HIS DISPOSAL WAS LESS THAN PROBABLE WHERE AND WHEN HAD HE BUILT IT AND HOW COULD HE HAVE BUILT IT IN SECRET


ONLY SOME GOVERNMENT COULD OWN SUCH AN ENGINE OF DESTRUCTION AND IN THESE DISASTER FILLED TIMES WHEN MEN TAX THEIR INGENUITY TO BUILD INCREASINGLY POWERFUL AGGRESSIVE WEAPONS IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT UNKNOWN TO THE REST OF THE WORLD SOME NATION COULD HAVE BEEN TESTING SUCH A FEARSOME MACHINE


AND THE TORPEDO HAS LED TO THIS UNDERWATER BATTERING RAM WHICH IN TURN WILL LEAD TO THE WORLD PUTTING ITS FOOT DOWN AT LEAST I HOPE IT WILL BUT THIS HYPOTHESIS OF A WAR MACHINE COLLAPSED IN THE FACE OF FORMAL DENIALS FROM THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENTS


SINCE THE PUBLIC INTEREST WAS AT STAKE AND TRANSOCEANIC TRAVEL WAS SUFFERING


BESIDES HOW COULD THE ASSEMBLY OF THIS UNDERWATER BOAT HAVE ESCAPED PUBLIC NOTICE KEEPING A SECRET UNDER SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD BE DIFFICULT ENOUGH FOR AN INDIVIDUAL AND CERTAINLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A NATION WHOSE EVERY MOVE IS UNDER CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE BY RIVAL POWERS


SO AFTER INQUIRIES CONDUCTED IN ENGLAND FRANCE RUSSIA PRUSSIA SPAIN ITALY AMERICA AND EVEN TURKEY THE HYPOTHESIS OF AN UNDERWATER MONITOR WAS ULTIMATELY REJECTED AND SO THE MONSTER SURFACED AGAIN


DESPITE THE ENDLESS WITTICISMS HEAPED ON IT BY THE POPULAR PRESS


AFTER I ARRIVED IN NEW YORK SEVERAL PEOPLE DID ME THE HONOR OF CONSULTING ME ON THE PHENOMENON IN QUESTION IN FRANCE I HAD PUBLISHED A TWO VOLUME WORK IN QUARTO ENTITLED THE MYSTERIES OF THE GREAT OCEAN DEPTHS WELL RECEIVED IN SCHOLARLY CIRCLES


MY VIEWS WERE IN DEMAND


I CONFINED MYSELF TO A FLAT NO COMMENT BUT SOON PINNED TO THE WALL I HAD TO EXPLAIN MYSELF STRAIGHT OUT AND IN THIS VEIN THE HONORABLE PIERRE ARONNAX PROFESSOR AT THE PARIS MUSEUM WAS SUMMONED BY THE NEW YORK HERALD TO FORMULATE HIS VIEWS NO MATTER WHAT


I COMPLIED SINCE I COULD NO LONGER HOLD MY TONGUE I LET IT WAG I DISCUSSED THE QUESTION IN ITS EVERY ASPECT BOTH POLITICAL AND SCIENTIFIC AND THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM THE WELL PADDED ARTICLE I PUBLISHED IN THE ISSUE OF APRIL THIRTIETH


THEREFORE I WROTE AFTER EXAMINING THESE DIFFERENT HYPOTHESES ONE BY ONE WE ARE FORCED EVERY OTHER SUPPOSITION HAVING BEEN REFUTED TO ACCEPT THE EXISTENCE OF AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL MARINE ANIMAL


THE DEEPEST PARTS OF THE OCEAN ARE TOTALLY UNKNOWN TO US NO SOUNDINGS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REACH THEM WHAT GOES ON IN THOSE DISTANT DEPTHS WHAT CREATURES INHABIT OR COULD INHABIT THOSE REGIONS TWELVE OR FIFTEEN MILES BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER


WHAT IS THE CONSTITUTION OF THESE ANIMALS IT'S ALMOST BEYOND CONJECTURE HOWEVER THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM SUBMITTED TO ME CAN TAKE THE FORM OF A CHOICE BETWEEN TWO ALTERNATIVES EITHER WE KNOW EVERY VARIETY OF CREATURE POPULATING OUR PLANET OR WE DO NOT


IF WE DO NOT KNOW EVERY ONE OF THEM IF NATURE STILL KEEPS ICHTHYOLOGICAL SECRETS FROM US NOTHING IS MORE ADMISSIBLE THAN TO ACCEPT THE EXISTENCE OF FISH OR CETACEANS OF NEW SPECIES OR EVEN NEW GENERA ANIMALS WITH A BASICALLY CAST IRON CONSTITUTION


THAT INHABIT STRATA BEYOND THE REACH OF OUR SOUNDINGS AND WHICH SOME DEVELOPMENT OR OTHER AN URGE OR A WHIM IF YOU PREFER CAN BRING TO THE UPPER LEVEL OF THE OCEAN FOR LONG INTERVALS IF ON THE OTHER HAND WE DO KNOW EVERY LIVING SPECIES


WE MUST LOOK FOR THE ANIMAL IN QUESTION AMONG THOSE MARINE CREATURES ALREADY CATALOGED AND IN THIS EVENT I WOULD BE INCLINED TO ACCEPT THE EXISTENCE OF A GIANT NARWHALE


INCREASE ITS DIMENSIONS FIVEFOLD OR EVEN TENFOLD THEN GIVE THIS CETACEAN A STRENGTH IN PROPORTION TO ITS SIZE WHILE ENLARGING ITS OFFENSIVE WEAPONS AND YOU HAVE THE ANIMAL WE'RE LOOKING FOR IT WOULD HAVE THE PROPORTIONS DETERMINED BY THE OFFICERS OF THE SHANNON


THE INSTRUMENT NEEDED TO PERFORATE THE SCOTIA AND THE POWER TO PIERCE A STEAMER'S HULL IN ESSENCE THE NARWHALE IS ARMED WITH A SORT OF IVORY SWORD OR LANCE AS CERTAIN NATURALISTS HAVE EXPRESSED IT IT'S A KING SIZED TOOTH AS HARD AS STEEL


WHICH THE NARWHALE ATTACKS WITH INVARIABLE SUCCESS OTHERS HAVE BEEN WRENCHED NOT WITHOUT DIFFICULTY


OWNS ONE OF THESE TUSKS WITH A LENGTH OF TWO POINT TWO FIVE METERS AND A WIDTH AT ITS BASE OF FORTY EIGHT CENTIMETERS ALL RIGHT THEN IMAGINE THIS WEAPON TO BE TEN TIMES STRONGER AND THE ANIMAL TEN TIMES MORE POWERFUL


LAUNCH IT AT A SPEED OF TWENTY MILES PER HOUR MULTIPLY ITS MASS TIMES ITS VELOCITY AND YOU GET JUST THE COLLISION WE NEED TO CAUSE THE SPECIFIED CATASTROPHE SO UNTIL INFORMATION BECOMES MORE ABUNDANT I PLUMP FOR A SEA UNICORN OF COLOSSAL DIMENSIONS


NO LONGER ARMED WITH A MERE LANCE BUT WITH AN ACTUAL SPUR LIKE IRONCLAD FRIGATES OR THOSE WARSHIPS CALLED RAMS WHOSE MASS AND MOTOR POWER IT WOULD POSSESS SIMULTANEOUSLY THIS INEXPLICABLE PHENOMENON IS THUS EXPLAINED AWAY


THESE LAST WORDS WERE COWARDLY OF ME BUT AS FAR AS I COULD I WANTED TO PROTECT MY PROFESSORIAL DIGNITY AND NOT LAY MYSELF OPEN TO LAUGHTER FROM THE AMERICANS WHO WHEN THEY DO LAUGH LAUGH RAUCOUSLY


I HAD LEFT MYSELF A LOOPHOLE YET DEEP DOWN I HAD ACCEPTED THE EXISTENCE OF THE MONSTER MY ARTICLE WAS HOTLY DEBATED CAUSING A FINE OLD UPROAR


MOREOVER THE SOLUTION IT PROPOSED ALLOWED FOR FREE PLAY OF THE IMAGINATION THE HUMAN MIND ENJOYS IMPRESSIVE VISIONS OF UNEARTHLY CREATURES NOW THEN THE SEA IS PRECISELY THEIR BEST MEDIUM


OUR CREATOR CAST THEM USING A COLOSSAL MOLD THAT TIME HAS GRADUALLY MADE SMALLER WITH ITS UNTOLD DEPTHS COULDN'T THE SEA KEEP ALIVE SUCH HUGE SPECIMENS OF LIFE FROM ANOTHER AGE


CONTINUOUS ALTERATION COULDN'T THE HEART OF THE OCEAN HIDE THE LAST REMAINING VARIETIES OF THESE TITANIC SPECIES FOR WHOM YEARS ARE CENTURIES AND CENTURIES MILLENNIA BUT I MUSTN'T LET THESE FANTASIES RUN AWAY WITH ME


ENOUGH OF THESE FAIRY TALES THAT TIME HAS CHANGED FOR ME INTO HARSH REALITIES I REPEAT OPINION HAD CRYSTALLIZED AS TO THE NATURE OF THIS PHENOMENON AND THE PUBLIC ACCEPTED WITHOUT ARGUMENT THE EXISTENCE OF A PRODIGIOUS CREATURE THAT HAD NOTHING IN COMMON WITH THE FABLED SEA SERPENT


YET IF SOME SAW IT PURELY AS A SCIENTIFIC PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED MORE PRACTICAL PEOPLE ESPECIALLY IN AMERICA AND ENGLAND WERE DETERMINED TO PURGE THE OCEAN OF THIS DAUNTING MONSTER TO INSURE THE SAFETY OF TRANSOCEANIC TRAVEL


THE SHIPPING AND MERCANTILE GAZETTE THE LLOYD'S LIST FRANCE'S PACKETBOAT AND MARITIME AND COLONIAL REVIEW ALL THE RAGS DEVOTED TO INSURANCE COMPANIES WHO THREATENED TO RAISE THEIR PREMIUM RATES WERE UNANIMOUS ON THIS POINT


THE NAVAL ARSENALS WERE UNLOCKED FOR COMMANDER FARRAGUT WHO PRESSED ENERGETICALLY FORWARD WITH THE ARMING OF HIS FRIGATE BUT AS IT ALWAYS HAPPENS JUST WHEN A DECISION HAD BEEN MADE TO CHASE THE MONSTER THE MONSTER PUT IN NO FURTHER APPEARANCES


FOR TWO MONTHS NOBODY HEARD A WORD ABOUT IT NOT A SINGLE SHIP ENCOUNTERED IT APPARENTLY THE UNICORN HAD GOTTEN WISE TO THESE PLOTS BEING WOVEN AROUND IT PEOPLE WERE CONSTANTLY BABBLING ABOUT THE CREATURE EVEN VIA THE ATLANTIC CABLE


ACCORDINGLY THE WAGS CLAIMED THAT THIS SLIPPERY RASCAL HAD WAYLAID SOME PASSING TELEGRAM AND WAS MAKING THE MOST OF IT SO THE FRIGATE WAS EQUIPPED FOR A FAR OFF VOYAGE AND ARMED WITH FEARSOME FISHING GEAR BUT NOBODY KNEW WHERE TO STEER IT AND IMPATIENCE GREW UNTIL ON JUNE SECOND


WORD CAME THAT THE TAMPICO A STEAMER ON THE SAN FRANCISCO LINE SAILING FROM CALIFORNIA TO SHANGHAI HAD SIGHTED THE ANIMAL AGAIN THREE WEEKS BEFORE IN THE NORTHERLY SEAS OF THE PACIFIC THIS NEWS CAUSED INTENSE EXCITEMENT


NOT EVEN A TWENTY FOUR HOUR BREATHER WAS GRANTED TO COMMANDER FARRAGUT HIS PROVISIONS WERE LOADED ON BOARD HIS COAL BUNKERS WERE OVERFLOWING NOT A CREWMAN WAS MISSING FROM HIS POST TO CAST OFF HE NEEDED ONLY TO FIRE AND STOKE HIS FURNACES HALF A DAY'S DELAY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNFORGIVABLE


CHAPTER THREE AS MASTER WISHES THREE SECONDS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF J B HOBSON'S LETTER


I UNDERSTOOD AT LAST THAT MY TRUE VOCATION MY SOLE PURPOSE IN LIFE WAS TO HUNT DOWN THIS DISTURBING MONSTER AND RID THE WORLD OF IT EVEN SO I HAD JUST RETURNED FROM AN ARDUOUS JOURNEY EXHAUSTED AND BADLY NEEDING A REST


I WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN TO SEE MY COUNTRY AGAIN MY FRIENDS MY MODEST QUARTERS BY THE BOTANICAL GARDENS MY DEARLY BELOVED COLLECTIONS BUT NOW NOTHING COULD HOLD ME BACK I FORGOT EVERYTHING ELSE AND WITHOUT ANOTHER THOUGHT OF EXHAUSTION FRIENDS OR COLLECTIONS


I ACCEPTED THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT'S OFFER BESIDES I MUSED ALL ROADS LEAD HOME TO EUROPE AND OUR UNICORN MAY BE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO TAKE ME TOWARD THE COAST OF FRANCE THAT FINE ANIMAL MAY EVEN LET ITSELF BE CAPTURED IN EUROPEAN SEAS AS A PERSONAL FAVOR TO ME


CONSEIL I CALLED IN AN IMPATIENT VOICE CONSEIL WAS MY MANSERVANT A DEVOTED LAD WHO WENT WITH ME ON ALL MY JOURNEYS A GALLANT FLEMISH BOY WHOM I GENUINELY LIKED AND WHO RETURNED THE COMPLIMENT A BORN STOIC PUNCTILIOUS ON PRINCIPLE


HABITUALLY HARDWORKING RARELY STARTLED BY LIFE'S SURPRISES VERY SKILLFUL WITH HIS HANDS EFFICIENT IN HIS EVERY DUTY AND DESPITE HIS HAVING A NAME THAT MEANS COUNSEL NEVER GIVING ADVICE NOT EVEN THE UNSOLICITED KIND


FROM RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH SCIENTISTS IN OUR LITTLE UNIVERSE BY THE BOTANICAL GARDENS THE BOY HAD COME TO KNOW A THING OR TWO IN CONSEIL I HAD A SEASONED SPECIALIST IN BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION AN ENTHUSIAST WHO COULD RUN WITH ACROBATIC AGILITY


UP AND DOWN THE WHOLE LADDER OF BRANCHES GROUPS CLASSES SUBCLASSES ORDERS FAMILIES GENERA SUBGENERA SPECIES AND VARIETIES BUT THERE HIS SCIENCE CAME TO A HALT CLASSIFYING WAS EVERYTHING TO HIM SO HE KNEW NOTHING ELSE


WELL VERSED IN THE THEORY OF CLASSIFICATION HE WAS POORLY VERSED IN ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATION AND I DOUBT THAT HE COULD TELL A SPERM WHALE FROM A BALEEN WHALE AND YET WHAT A FINE GALLANT LAD


FOR THE PAST TEN YEARS CONSEIL HAD GONE WITH ME WHEREVER SCIENCE BECKONED NOT ONCE DID HE COMMENT ON THE LENGTH OR THE HARDSHIPS OF A JOURNEY NEVER DID HE OBJECT TO BUCKLING UP HIS SUITCASE FOR ANY COUNTRY WHATEVER CHINA OR THE CONGO


NO MATTER HOW FAR OFF IT WAS HE WENT HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE IN PERFECT CONTENTMENT MOREOVER HE ENJOYED EXCELLENT HEALTH THAT DEFIED ALL AILMENTS OWNED SOLID MUSCLES BUT HADN'T A NERVE IN HIM NOT A SIGN OF NERVES THE MENTAL TYPE I MEAN


THE LAD WAS THIRTY YEARS OLD AND HIS AGE TO THAT OF HIS EMPLOYER WAS AS FIFTEEN IS TO TWENTY PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THIS UNDERHANDED WAY OF ADMITTING I HAD TURNED FORTY BUT CONSEIL HAD ONE FLAW HE WAS A FANATIC ON FORMALITY


AND HE ONLY ADDRESSED ME IN THE THIRD PERSON TO THE POINT WHERE IT GOT TIRESOME CONSEIL I REPEATED WHILE FEVERISHLY BEGINNING MY PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE TO BE SURE I HAD CONFIDENCE IN THIS DEVOTED LAD


THERE WAS GOOD REASON TO STOP AND THINK EVEN FOR THE WORLD'S MOST EMOTIONLESS MAN


CONSEIL I CALLED A THIRD TIME CONSEIL APPEARED


YES MY BOY GET MY THINGS READY GET YOURS READY WE'RE DEPARTING IN TWO HOURS AS MASTER WISHES CONSEIL REPLIED SERENELY WE HAVEN'T A MOMENT TO LOSE PACK AS MUCH INTO MY TRUNK AS YOU CAN MY TRAVELING KIT MY SUITS SHIRTS AND SOCKS


DON'T BOTHER COUNTING JUST SQUEEZE IT ALL IN AND HURRY WHAT ABOUT MASTER'S COLLECTIONS CONSEIL VENTURED TO OBSERVE WE'LL DEAL WITH THEM LATER WHAT THE ARCHAEOTHERIUM HYRACOTHERIUM OREODONTS CHEIROPOTAMUS AND MASTER'S OTHER FOSSIL SKELETONS


CERTAINLY I REPLIED EVASIVELY BUT AFTER WE MAKE A DETOUR WHATEVER DETOUR MASTER WISHES OH IT'S NOTHING REALLY A ROUTE SLIGHTLY LESS DIRECT THAT'S ALL WE'RE LEAVING ON THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN


AS MASTER THINKS BEST CONSEIL REPLIED PLACIDLY YOU SEE MY FRIEND IT'S AN ISSUE OF THE MONSTER THE NOTORIOUS NARWHALE WE'RE GOING TO RID THE SEAS OF IT THE AUTHOR OF A TWO VOLUME WORK IN QUARTO ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE GREAT OCEAN DEPTHS


IT'S A GLORIOUS MISSION BUT ALSO A DANGEROUS ONE


THESE BEASTS CAN BE QUITE UNPREDICTABLE BUT WE'RE GOING JUST THE SAME WE HAVE A COMMANDER WHO'S GAME FOR ANYTHING WHAT MASTER DOES I'LL DO CONSEIL REPLIED


AS MASTER WISHES A QUARTER OF AN HOUR LATER OUR TRUNKS WERE READY CONSEIL DID THEM IN A FLASH AND I WAS SURE THE LAD HADN'T MISSED A THING BECAUSE HE CLASSIFIED SHIRTS AND SUITS AS EXPERTLY AS BIRDS AND MAMMALS


THE HOTEL ELEVATOR DROPPED US OFF IN THE MAIN VESTIBULE ON THE MEZZANINE I WENT DOWN A SHORT STAIR LEADING TO THE GROUND FLOOR


I LEFT INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHIPPING MY CONTAINERS OF STUFFED ANIMALS AND DRIED PLANTS TO PARIS FRANCE


FOR A FARE OF TWENTY FRANCS THE VEHICLE WENT DOWN BROADWAY TO UNION SQUARE


THAT GREAT NEW YORK ANNEX LOCATED ON THE LEFT BANK OF THE EAST RIVER AND IN A FEW MINUTES WE ARRIVED AT THE WHARF NEXT TO WHICH THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS VOMITING TORRENTS OF BLACK SMOKE FROM ITS TWO FUNNELS OUR BAGGAGE WAS IMMEDIATELY CARRIED TO THE DECK OF THE FRIGATE


I RUSHED ABOARD I ASKED FOR COMMANDER FARRAGUT ONE OF THE SAILORS LED ME TO THE AFTERDECK WHERE I STOOD IN THE PRESENCE OF A SMART LOOKING OFFICER WHO EXTENDED HIS HAND TO ME PROFESSOR PIERRE ARONNAX HE SAID TO ME


THE SAME I REPLIED COMMANDER FARRAGUT IN PERSON WELCOME ABOARD PROFESSOR YOUR CABIN IS WAITING FOR YOU I BOWED AND LETTING THE COMMANDER ATTEND TO GETTING UNDER WAY I WAS TAKEN TO THE CABIN THAT HAD BEEN SET ASIDE FOR ME


THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN REACHED AN AVERAGE SPEED OF EIGHTEEN POINT THREE MILES PER HOUR A CONSIDERABLE SPEED BUT STILL NOT ENOUGH TO COPE WITH OUR GIGANTIC CETACEAN THE FRIGATE'S INTERIOR ACCOMMODATIONS COMPLEMENTED ITS NAUTICAL VIRTUES I WAS WELL SATISFIED WITH MY CABIN


WHICH WAS LOCATED IN THE STERN AND OPENED INTO THE OFFICERS MESS WE'LL BE QUITE COMFORTABLE HERE I TOLD CONSEIL WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MASTER CONSEIL REPLIED AS COMFORTABLE AS A HERMIT CRAB INSIDE THE SHELL OF A WHELK


JUST THEN COMMANDER FARRAGUT WAS GIVING ORDERS TO CAST OFF THE LAST MOORINGS HOLDING THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO ITS BROOKLYN PIER AND SO IF I'D BEEN DELAYED BY A QUARTER OF AN HOUR OR EVEN LESS


THE FRIGATE WOULD HAVE GONE WITHOUT ME AND I WOULD HAVE MISSED OUT ON THIS UNEARTHLY EXTRAORDINARY AND INCONCEIVABLE EXPEDITION WHOSE TRUE STORY MIGHT WELL MEET WITH SOME SKEPTICISM BUT COMMANDER FARRAGUT DIDN'T WANT TO WASTE A SINGLE DAY


AT THIS ORDER WHICH WAS RELAYED TO THE ENGINE BY MEANS OF A COMPRESSED AIR DEVICE THE MECHANICS ACTIVATED THE START UP WHEEL STEAM RUSHED WHISTLING INTO THE GAPING VALVES LONG HORIZONTAL PISTONS GROANED AND PUSHED THE TIE RODS OF THE DRIVE SHAFT


THE BLADES OF THE PROPELLER CHURNED THE WAVES WITH INCREASING SPEED AND THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN MOVED OUT MAJESTICALLY AMID A SPECTATOR LADEN ESCORT OF SOME ONE HUNDRED FERRIES AND TENDERS AUTHOR'S NOTE TENDERS ARE SMALL STEAMBOATS THAT ASSIST THE BIG LINERS


THE WHARVES OF BROOKLYN AND EVERY PART OF NEW YORK BORDERING THE EAST RIVER WERE CROWDED WITH CURIOSITY SEEKERS DEPARTING FROM FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND THROATS THREE CHEERS BURST FORTH IN SUCCESSION


THOUSANDS OF HANDKERCHIEFS WERE WAVING ABOVE THESE TIGHTLY PACKED MASSES HAILING THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN UNTIL IT REACHED THE WATERS OF THE HUDSON RIVER AT THE TIP OF THE LONG PENINSULA THAT FORMS NEW YORK CITY


THE WONDERFUL RIGHT BANK OF THIS RIVER ALL LOADED DOWN WITH COUNTRY HOMES AND PASSED BY THE FORTS TO SALUTES FROM THEIR BIGGEST CANNONS


WHOSE THIRTY NINE STARS GLEAMED FROM THE GAFF OF THE MIZZEN SAIL


IT HUGGED THIS SAND COVERED STRIP OF LAND WHERE THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS ACCLAIMED US ONE MORE TIME THE ESCORT OF BOATS AND TENDERS STILL FOLLOWED THE FRIGATE AND ONLY LEFT US WHEN WE CAME ABREAST OF THE LIGHTSHIP WHOSE TWO SIGNAL LIGHTS MARK THE ENTRANCE OF THE NARROWS TO UPPER NEW YORK BAY


CHAPTER FIVE AT RANDOM FOR SOME WHILE THE VOYAGE OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN WAS MARKED BY NO INCIDENT BUT ONE CIRCUMSTANCE AROSE THAT DISPLAYED NED LAND'S MARVELOUS SKILLS AND SHOWED JUST HOW MUCH CONFIDENCE WE COULD PLACE IN HIM


OFF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS ON JUNE THIRTIETH THE FRIGATE CAME IN CONTACT WITH A FLEET OF AMERICAN WHALERS AND WE LEARNED THAT THEY HADN'T SEEN THE NARWHALE BUT ONE OF THEM THE CAPTAIN OF THE MONROE


ANXIOUS TO SEE NED LAND AT WORK COMMANDER FARRAGUT AUTHORIZED HIM TO MAKE HIS WAY ABOARD THE MONROE AND THE CANADIAN HAD SUCH GOOD LUCK THAT WITH A RIGHT AND LEFT SHOT HE HARPOONED NOT ONE WHALE BUT TWO STRIKING THE FIRST STRAIGHT TO THE HEART AND CATCHING THE OTHER AFTER A FEW MINUTES CHASE


ASSUREDLY IF THE MONSTER EVER HAD TO DEAL WITH NED LAND'S HARPOON I WOULDN'T BET ON THE MONSTER THE FRIGATE SAILED ALONG THE EAST COAST OF SOUTH AMERICA WITH PRODIGIOUS SPEED BY JULY THIRD WE WERE AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN ABREAST OF CABO DE LAS VIRGENES


AND MANEUVERED INSTEAD TO DOUBLE CAPE HORN THE CREW SIDED WITH HIM UNANIMOUSLY INDEED WERE WE LIKELY TO ENCOUNTER THE NARWHALE IN SUCH A CRAMPED STRAIT MANY OF OUR SAILORS SWORE THAT THE MONSTER COULDN'T NEGOTIATE THIS PASSAGEWAY SIMPLY BECAUSE HE'S TOO BIG FOR IT


NEAR THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON ON JULY SIXTH FIFTEEN MILES SOUTH OF SHORE THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN DOUBLED THAT SOLITARY ISLET AT THE TIP OF THE SOUTH AMERICAN CONTINENT THAT STRAY ROCK DUTCH SEAMEN HAD NAMED CAPE HORN AFTER THEIR HOMETOWN OF HOORN


OUR COURSE WAS SET FOR THE NORTHWEST AND THE NEXT DAY OUR FRIGATE'S PROPELLER FINALLY CHURNED THE WATERS OF THE PACIFIC OPEN YOUR EYES OPEN YOUR EYES REPEATED THE SAILORS OF THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THEY OPENED AMAZINGLY WIDE EYES AND SPYGLASSES


A BIT DAZZLED IT IS TRUE BY THE VISTA OF TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS DIDN'T REMAIN AT REST FOR AN INSTANT DAY AND NIGHT WE OBSERVED THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN AND THOSE WITH NYCTALOPIC EYES WHOSE ABILITY TO SEE IN THE DARK INCREASED THEIR CHANCES BY FIFTY PERCENT


I NO LONGER LEFT THE SHIP'S DECK SOMETIMES BENDING OVER THE FORECASTLE RAILINGS SOMETIMES LEANING AGAINST THE STERNRAIL


AND HOW MANY TIMES I SHARED THE EXCITEMENT OF GENERAL STAFF AND CREW WHEN SOME UNPREDICTABLE WHALE LIFTED ITS BLACKISH BACK ABOVE THE WAVES IN AN INSTANT THE FRIGATE'S DECK WOULD BECOME DENSELY POPULATED THE COWLS OVER THE COMPANIONWAYS WOULD VOMIT A TORRENT OF SAILORS AND OFFICERS


WITH PANTING CHESTS AND ANXIOUS EYES WE EACH WOULD OBSERVE THE CETACEAN'S MOVEMENTS I STARED I STARED UNTIL I NEARLY WENT BLIND FROM A WORN OUT RETINA WHILE CONSEIL AS STOIC AS EVER KEPT REPEATING TO ME IN A CALM TONE


IF MASTER'S EYES WOULD KINDLY STOP BULGING MASTER WILL SEE FARTHER BUT WHAT A WASTE OF ENERGY THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN WOULD CHANGE COURSE AND RACE AFTER THE ANIMAL SIGHTED ONLY TO FIND AN ORDINARY BALEEN WHALE


OR A COMMON SPERM WHALE THAT SOON DISAPPEARED AMID A CHORUS OF CURSES HOWEVER THE WEATHER HELD GOOD OUR VOYAGE WAS PROCEEDING UNDER THE MOST FAVORABLE CONDITIONS BY THEN IT WAS THE BAD SEASON IN THESE SOUTHERNMOST REGIONS


BECAUSE JULY IN THIS ZONE CORRESPONDS TO OUR JANUARY IN EUROPE BUT THE SEA REMAINED SMOOTH AND EASILY VISIBLE OVER A VAST PERIMETER NED LAND STILL KEPT UP THE MOST TENACIOUS SKEPTICISM


BUT THIS STUBBORN CANADIAN SPENT EIGHT HOURS OUT OF EVERY TWELVE READING OR SLEEPING IN HIS CABIN A HUNDRED TIMES I CHIDED HIM FOR HIS UNCONCERN BAH HE REPLIED NOTHING'S OUT THERE PROFESSOR ARONNAX


AND IF THERE IS SOME ANIMAL WHAT CHANCE WOULD WE HAVE OF SPOTTING IT CAN'T YOU SEE WE'RE JUST WANDERING AROUND AT RANDOM PEOPLE SAY THEY'VE SIGHTED THIS SLIPPERY BEAST AGAIN IN THE PACIFIC HIGH SEAS I'M TRULY WILLING TO BELIEVE IT BUT TWO MONTHS HAVE ALREADY GONE BY SINCE THEN


AND JUDGING BY YOUR NARWHALE'S PERSONALITY IT HATES GROWING MOLDY FROM HANGING OUT TOO LONG IN THE SAME WATERWAYS IT'S BLESSED WITH A TERRIFIC GIFT FOR GETTING AROUND NOW PROFESSOR YOU KNOW EVEN BETTER THAN I THAT NATURE DOESN'T VIOLATE GOOD SENSE


THESE BEARINGS DETERMINED THE FRIGATE TOOK A MORE DECISIVE WESTWARD HEADING AND TACKLED THE SEAS OF THE CENTRAL PACIFIC COMMANDER FARRAGUT FELT AND WITH GOOD REASON THAT IT WAS BEST TO STAY IN DEEP WATERS AND KEEP HIS DISTANCE FROM CONTINENTS OR ISLANDS


NO DOUBT OUR BOSUN SAID BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ENOUGH WATER FOR HIM


THEN CUT THE TROPIC OF CANCER AT LONGITUDE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY TWO DEGREES AND HEADED FOR THE SEAS OF CHINA WE WERE FINALLY IN THE AREA OF THE MONSTER'S LATEST ANTICS AND IN ALL HONESTY SHIPBOARD CONDITIONS BECAME LIFE THREATENING HEARTS WERE POUNDING HIDEOUSLY


NOBODY ATE NOBODY SLEPT TWENTY TIMES A DAY SOME ERROR IN PERCEPTION OR THE OPTICAL ILLUSIONS OF SOME SAILOR PERCHED IN THE CROSSTREES WOULD CAUSE INTOLERABLE ANGUISH AND THIS EMOTION REPEATED TWENTY TIMES OVER


KEPT US IN A STATE OF IRRITABILITY SO INTENSE THAT A REACTION WAS BOUND TO FOLLOW AND THIS REACTION WASN'T LONG IN COMING FOR THREE MONTHS DURING WHICH EACH DAY SEEMED LIKE A CENTURY THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN PLOWED ALL THE NORTHERLY SEAS OF THE PACIFIC


RACING AFTER WHALES SIGHTED ABRUPTLY VEERING OFF COURSE SWERVING SHARPLY FROM ONE TACK TO ANOTHER STOPPING SUDDENLY PUTTING ON STEAM AND REVERSING ENGINES IN QUICK SUCCESSION AT THE RISK OF STRIPPING ITS GEARS


AND IT DIDN'T LEAVE A SINGLE POINT UNEXPLORED FROM THE BEACHES OF JAPAN TO THE COASTS OF AMERICA AND WE FOUND NOTHING NOTHING EXCEPT AN IMMENSENESS OF DESERTED WAVES NOTHING REMOTELY RESEMBLING A GIGANTIC NARWHALE OR AN UNDERWATER ISLET


AND EACH MAN NOW WANTED ONLY TO CATCH UP ON HIS EATING AND SLEEPING TO MAKE UP FOR THE TIME HE HAD SO STUPIDLY SACRIFICED WITH TYPICAL HUMAN FICKLENESS THEY JUMPED FROM ONE EXTREME TO THE OTHER INEVITABLY THE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTERS OF THE UNDERTAKING BECAME ITS MOST ENERGETIC OPPONENTS


THIS REACTION MOUNTED UPWARD FROM THE BOWELS OF THE SHIP FROM THE QUARTERS OF THE BUNKER HANDS TO THE MESSROOM OF THE GENERAL STAFF AND FOR CERTAIN IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR COMMANDER FARRAGUT'S CHARACTERISTIC STUBBORNNESS THE FRIGATE WOULD ULTIMATELY HAVE PUT BACK TO THAT CAPE IN THE SOUTH


NEVER HAD THE CREW OF AN AMERICAN NAVAL CRAFT SHOWN MORE PATIENCE AND ZEAL


A REQUEST TO THIS EFFECT WAS PRESENTED TO THE COMMANDER THE COMMANDER STOOD HIS GROUND HIS SAILORS COULDN'T HIDE THEIR DISCONTENT AND THEIR WORK SUFFERED BECAUSE OF IT I'M UNWILLING TO SAY THAT THERE WAS MUTINY ON BOARD


AND THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN WOULD CHART A COURSE TOWARD EUROPEAN SEAS THIS PROMISE WAS GIVEN ON NOVEMBER SECOND IT HAD THE IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF REVIVING THE CREW'S FAILING SPIRITS THE OCEAN WAS OBSERVED WITH RENEWED CARE


EACH MAN WANTED ONE LAST LOOK WITH WHICH TO SUM UP HIS EXPERIENCE SPYGLASSES FUNCTIONED WITH FEVERISH ENERGY A SUPREME CHALLENGE HAD BEEN ISSUED TO THE GIANT NARWHALE AND THE LATTER HAD NO ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE FOR IGNORING THIS SUMMONS TO APPEAR


TWO DAYS PASSED THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN STAYED AT HALF STEAM


A THOUSAND METHODS WERE USED TO SPARK ITS INTEREST OR ROUSE IT FROM ITS APATHY ENORMOUS SIDES OF BACON WERE TRAILED IN OUR WAKE TO THE GREAT SATISFACTION I MUST SAY OF ASSORTED SHARKS


WHILE THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN HEAVED TO ITS LONGBOATS RADIATED IN EVERY DIRECTION AROUND IT AND DIDN'T LEAVE A SINGLE POINT OF THE SEA UNEXPLORED BUT THE EVENING OF NOVEMBER FOURTH ARRIVED WITH THIS UNDERWATER MYSTERY STILL UNSOLVED


BY THEN THE FRIGATE LAY IN LATITUDE THIRTY ONE DEGREES FIFTEEN NORTH AND LONGITUDE ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SIX DEGREES FORTY TWO EAST THE SHORES OF JAPAN WERE LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED MILES TO OUR LEEWARD NIGHT WAS COMING ON EIGHT O'CLOCK HAD JUST STRUCK


HUGE CLOUDS COVERED THE MOON'S DISK THEN IN ITS FIRST QUARTER THE SEA UNDULATED PLACIDLY BENEATH THE FRIGATE'S STEMPOST JUST THEN I WAS IN THE BOW LEANING OVER THE STARBOARD RAIL CONSEIL STATIONED BESIDE ME STARED STRAIGHT AHEAD


ROOSTING IN THE SHROUDS THE CREW EXAMINED THE HORIZON WHICH SHRANK AND DARKENED LITTLE BY LITTLE OFFICERS WERE PROBING THE INCREASING GLOOM WITH THEIR NIGHT GLASSES SOMETIMES THE MURKY OCEAN SPARKLED BENEATH MOONBEAMS THAT DARTED BETWEEN THE FRINGES OF TWO CLOUDS


THEN ALL TRACES OF LIGHT VANISHED INTO THE DARKNESS OBSERVING CONSEIL I DISCOVERED THAT JUST BARELY THE GALLANT LAD HAD FALLEN UNDER THE GENERAL INFLUENCE AT LEAST SO I THOUGHT PERHAPS HIS NERVES WERE TWITCHING WITH CURIOSITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY


COME ON CONSEIL I TOLD HIM HERE'S YOUR LAST CHANCE TO POCKET THAT TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS IF MASTER WILL PERMIT MY SAYING SO CONSEIL REPLIED I NEVER EXPECTED TO WIN THAT PRIZE


IN MASTER'S LITTLE APARTMENT CONSEIL ANSWERED IN MASTER'S MUSEUM


AND IT WOULD HAVE ATTRACTED EVERY CURIOSITY SEEKER IN TOWN QUITE SO CONSEIL AND WHAT'S MORE


TO BE SURE CONSEIL REPLIED SERENELY I DO THINK THEY'LL HAVE FUN AT MASTER'S EXPENSE AND MUST IT BE SAID IT MUST BE SAID CONSEIL WELL THEN IT WILL SERVE MASTER RIGHT


HOW TRUE WHEN ONE HAS THE HONOR OF BEING AN EXPERT AS MASTER IS ONE MUSTN'T LAY HIMSELF OPEN TO CONSEIL DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO COMPLETE THE COMPLIMENT IN THE MIDST OF THE GENERAL SILENCE A VOICE BECAME AUDIBLE


SAID CRAGGS PUSHING BILLY TOWARDS THEM AS HE SPOKE FAIX AND YE MIGHT HAVE GOT WORSE MUTTERED A VERY OLD MAN BILLY TRAYNOR HAS THE LUCKY HAND HOW IS MY LORD NOW NELLY


ASKED THE CORPORAL OF A WOMAN WHO WITH BARE FEET AND DRESSED IN THE HUMBLEST FASHION OF THE PEASANTRY APPEARED HE'S GETTING WEAKER AND WEAKER SIR I BELIEVE HE'S SINKING I'M GLAD IT'S BILLY IS COME I'D RATHER SEE HIM THAN ALL THE DOCTORS IN THE COUNTRY


FOLLOW ME SAID CRAGGS GIVING A SIGNAL TO STEP LIGHTLY AND HE LED THE WAY UP A NARROW STONE STAIR WITH A WALL ON EITHER HAND


TRAVERSING A LONG LOW CORRIDOR THEY REACHED A DOOR AT WHICH HAVING WAITED FOR A SECOND OR TWO TO LISTEN CRAGGS TURNED THE HANDLE AND ENTERED THE ROOM WAS VERY LARGE AND LOFTY AND SEEN IN THE DIM LIGHT OF A SMALL LAMP UPON THE HEARTHSTONE


THE BETTER TO ADMIT AIR TO THE SICK MAN AS BILLY DREW NIGH WITH CAUTIOUS STEPS HE PERCEIVED THAT ALTHOUGH WORN AND WASTED BY LONG ILLNESS THE PATIENT WAS A MAN STILL IN THE VERY PRIME OF LIFE


MUTTERED HE AS HE FINISHED AND THEN GENTLY DISPLACING THE BEDCLOTHES LAID HIS HAND UPON THE HEART WITH A LONG DRAWN SIGH LIKE THAT OF UTTER WEARINESS THE SICK MAN MOVED HIS HEAD ROUND AND FIXED HIS EYES UPON HIM


TURNING AS HE WENT TO LOOK BACK TOWARDS THE BED AND EVIDENTLY GOING WITH RELUCTANCE IS IT FEVER ASKED THE SICK MAN IN A FAINT BUT UNFALTERING ACCENT IT'S A KIND OF CEREBRAL CONGESTION A MATTER OF THEM MEMBRANES THAT'S OVER THE BRAIN


THE ACCENTUATION OF THESE WORDS MARKED AS IT WAS BY THE STRONGEST PROVINCIALISM OF THE PEASANT ATTRACTED THE SICK MAN'S ATTENTION AND HE BENT UPON HIM A LOOK AT ONCE SEARCHING AND SEVERE WHAT ARE YOU WHO ARE YOU


CRIED HE ANGRILY WHAT I AM IS N'T SO AISY TO SAY BUT WHO I AM IS CLEAN BEYOND ME ARE YOU A DOCTOR ASKED THE SICK MAN FIERCELY I'M AFEAR'D I'M NOT


AND BILLY OBEYED WITHOUT SPEAKING WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THIS CRAGGS SAID THE VISCOUNT TREMBLING WITH PASSION WHO HAVE YOU BROUGHT ME WHAT BEGGAR HAVE YOU PICKED OFF THE HIGHWAY OR IS HE THE TRAVELLING FOOL OF THE DISTRICT


BUT THE ANGER THAT SUPPLIED STRENGTH HITHERTO NOW FAILED TO IMPART ENERGY AND HE SANK BACK WASTED AND EXHAUSTED THE CORPORAL BENT OVER HIM AND SPOKE SOMETHING IN A LOW WHISPER BUT WHETHER THE WORDS WERE HEARD OR NOT THE SICK MAN NOW LAY STILL


BREATHING HEAVILY CAN YOU DO NOTHING FOR HIM ASKED CRAGGS PEEVISHLY NOTHING BUT ANGER HIM TO BE SURE I CAN IF YOU LET ME


SAID BILLY PRODUCING A VERY ANCIENT LANCET CASE OF BOXWOOD TIPPED WITH IVORY I'LL JUST TAKE A DASH OF BLOOD FROM THE TEMPORAL ARTERY TO RELIEVE THE CEREBRUM AND THEN WE'LL PUT COWLD ON HIS HEAD AND KEEP HIM QUIET


IT'S THE SAME AS OPENING A SLUICE IN A MILL DAM HE S BETTER ALREADY HE LOOKS EASIER SAID CRAGGS AY AND HE FEELS IT CONTINUED BILLY JUST NOTICE THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS AND SEE HOW EASY THE INTERCOSTIALS IS DOING THEIR WORK NOW


I'LL HAVE THAT HAIR OFF OF HIM IF HE IS N'T COOLER TOWARDS EVENING SO SAYING HE COVERED THE SICK MAN WITH THE WETTED CLOTHS AND BATHED HIS HANDS IN THE COOLING FLUID


ASKED THE CORPORAL EAGERLY HE LL DO HE LL DO SAID BILLY HE'S A SANGUINEOUS TEMPERAMENT AND HE'LL BEAR THE LANCET IT'S JUST LIKE WEATHERIN A POINT AT SAY IF YOU HAVE A CRAFT THAT WILL CARRY CANVAS THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE FOR YOU


HE PERCEIVED THAT YOU WERE NOT A DOCTOR SAID CRAGGS WHEN THEY REACHED THE CORRIDOR


BUT FOR ALL THAT IT WOULD BE GOING TOO FAR TO SAY THAT I WAS N'T A DOCTOR T IS THE SAME WITH PHYSIC AND POETRY YOU TAKE TO IT OR YOU DON'T TAKE TO IT THERE'S CHAPS AY AND FAR FROM STUPID ONES EITHER


THAT COULD N'T COMPOSE YOU TEN HEXAMETERS IF YE'D PUT THEM ON A HOT GRIDDLE FOR IT AND THERE'S OTHERS THAT WOULD TALK RHYME RATHER THAN RAYSON AND SO WITH THE ARS MEDICATRIX EVERYBODY HAS N'T AN EYE FOR A HECTIC OR AN EAR FOR A COUGH NON CONTIGIT


HUSH BE STILL MUTTERED CRAGGS HERE'S THE YOUNG MASTER AND AS HE SPOKE A YOUTH OF ABOUT FIFTEEN WELL GROWN AND HANDSOME BUT POORLY EVEN MEANLY CLAD APPROACHED THEM HAVE YOU SEEN MY FATHER


RELIEVE THE GORGED VESSELS AND DON'T DROWN THE GRAND HYDRAULIC MACHINE THE HEART THEM'S MY SENTIMENTS TURNING FROM THE SPEAKER WITH A LOOK OF ANGRY IMPATIENCE THE BOY WHISPERED SOME WORDS IN THE CORPORAL'S EAR WHAT COULD I DO SIR WAS THE ANSWER


IT WAS THIS FELLOW OR NOTHING AND BETTER A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER NOTHING SAID THE BOY THAN TRUST HIS LIFE TO THE COARSE IGNORANCE OF THIS WRETCHED QUACK AND IN HIS PASSION THE WORDS WERE UTTERED LOUD ENOUGH FOR BILLY TO OVERHEAR THEM


DON'T BE HASTY YOUR HONOR SAID BILLY SUBMISSIVELY AND DON'T BE UNJUST THE REALMS OF DISAZE IS LIKE AN UNKNOWN TRACT OF COUNTRY OR A COUNTRY THAT'S ONLY KNOWN A LITTLE JUST ROUND THE COAST AS IT MIGHT BE ONCE YE'RE BEYOND THAT


ONE MAN IS AS GOOD A GUIDE AS ANOTHER


WHAT HAVE YOU DONE HAVE YOU GIVEN HIM ANYTHING BROKE IN THE BOY HURRIEDLY I TOOK A BLEEDING FROM HIM LITTLE SHORT OF SIXTEEN OUNCES FROM THE TEMPORIAL SAID BILLY PROUDLY


AND I'LL GIVE HIM NOW A CONCOCTION OF MEADOW SAFFRON WITH A PINCH OF SALTPETRE IN IT TO CAUSE DIAPHORESIS D'YE MIND MEANWHILE


JUST AS HE MAY HAVE A KNOWLEDGE OF NATURE BY OBSERVATION WHAT IS SICKNESS AFTER ALL BUT JUST ONE OF THE PHENOMENONS OF ALL ORGANIC AND INORGANIC MATTER A REGULAR SORT OF SHINDY IN A MAN'S INSIDE LIKE A THUNDERSTORM OR A HURRY CANE OUTSIDE


HE TURNED TO THE CORPORAL AND SAID LOOK TO HIM CRAGGS AND LET HIM HAVE HIS SUPPER AND WHEN HE HAS EATEN IT SEND HIM TO MY ROOM BILLY BOWED AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND FOLLOWED THE CORPORAL TO THE KITCHEN THAT'S MY LORD'S SON I SUPPOSE


SAID HE AS HE SEATED HIMSELF AND A FINE YOUNG CRAYTURE TOO PUER INGENUUS WITH A GRAND FRONTAL DEVELOPMENT AND WITH THIS REFLECTION HE ADDRESSED HIMSELF TO THE COARSE BUT ABUNDANT FARE WHICH CRAGGS PLACED BEFORE HIM


AND WITH AN APPETITE THAT SHOWED HOW MUCH HE RELISHED IT THIS IS ELEGANT LIVING YE HAVE HERE MISTER CRAGGS SAID BILLY AS HE DRAINED HIS TANKARD OF BEER AND PLACED IT WITH A SIGH ON THE TABLE MANY HAPPY YEARS OF IT TO YE I


THE LIFE IS NOT SO BAD SAID CRAGGS BUT IT'S LONELY SOMETIMES LIFE NEED NEVER BE LONELY SO LONG AS A MAN HAS HEALTH AND HIS FACULTIES SAID BILLY GIVE ME NATURE TO ADMIRE A BIT OF BAYCON FOR DINNER


AND MY FIDDLE TO AMUSE ME AND I WOULD N'T CHANGE WITH THE KING OF SUGAR CANDY I WAS THERE SAID CRAGGS IT'S A FINE ISLAND MY LORD WANTS TO SEE THE DOCTOR SAID A WOMAN ENTERING HASTILY AND THE DOCTOR IS READY FOR HIM


THERE'S EIGHT OR NINE OF US HERE WOULD MISS HIM IF HE WAS GONE TROTH HE DOESN'T GIVE MUCH EMPLOYMENT BUT WE COULDN'T SPARE HIM CROAKED OUT A THIRD WHEN THE ENTRANCE OF THE CORPORAL CUT SHORT FURTHER COMMENTARY AND THE PARTY GATHERED AROUND THE CHEERFUL TURF FIRE


SAID BILLY I'LL HAVE TO BE UP AT THE OFFICE FOR THE BAGS AT SIX O'CLOCK FAIX


SORRA TASTE OF IT MUTTERED ANOTHER THERE'S A SEA RUNNIN OUTSIDE NOW THAT WOULD SWAMP A LIFE BOAT I'LL NOT LOSE AN ILLIGANT SITUATION OF SIX POUNDS TEN A YEAR


MY DUTY ADDED HE SOMEWHAT PRETENTIOUSLY IS TO CARRY THE KING'S MAIL AND IF ANYTHING WAS TO OBSTRUCKT OR IMPADE OR DELAY THE CORRESPONDIENCE IT'S ON ME THE BLAME WOULD LIE


THE LETTERS WOULDN'T GO THE FASTER BECAUSE YOU WERE DROWNED BROKE IN THE CORPORAL NO SIR SAID BILLY RATHER STAGGERED BY THE GRIN OF APPROVAL THAT MET THIS REMARK NO SIR WHAT YOU OB SARVE IS TRUE


BUT NOBODY REFLECTS ON THE SINTRY THAT DIES AT HIS POST IF YOU MUST AND WILL GO I'LL GIVE YOU THE YAWL SAID CRAGGS AND I LL GO WITH YOU MYSELF SPOKE LIKE A BRITISH GRENADIER CRIED BILLY WITH ENTHUSIASM


CARBINEER IF THE SAME TO YOU MASTER SAID THE OTHER QUIETLY I NEVER SERVED IN THE INFANTRY


WHICH IS AS MUCH AS TO SAY TO STORM THE SKIES OR LAY SIEGE TO THE MOON GIVE ME ONE OF THE LINE OR A HEAVY DRAGOON IT'S THE SAME TO ME AS THE POET SAYS AND A LOW MURMUR OF THE COMPANY SEEMED TO ACCORD APPROVAL TO THE SENTIMENT


SAID ONE COAXINGLY OR A SONG WOULD BE BETTER OBSERVED ANOTHER FAIX CRIED A THIRD TIS HIMSELF COULD DO IT AND IN FRINCH OR LATIN IF YE WANTED IT THE GERMANS WAS THE BEST I EVER KNEW FOR MUSIC


BROKE IN CRAGGS I WAS BRIGADED WITH ARENTSCHILD'S HANOVERIANS IN SPAIN AND THEY USED TO SIT OUTSIDE THE TENTS EVERY EVENING AND SING BY JOVE HOW THEY DID SING ALL TOGETHER LIKE THE SWELL OF A CHURCH ORGAN YES YOU'RE RIGHT


SAID BILLY BUT EVIDENTLY YIELDING AN UNWILLING ASSENT TO THIS DOCTRINE THE GERMANS HAS A FINE NATIONAL MUSIC AND THEY RE GREAT FOR HARMONY BUT HARMONY AND MELODY IS TWO DIFFERENT THINGS AND WHICH IS BEST BILLY ASKED ONE OF THE COMPANY


SAID BILLY WITH A DEGREE OF CONFUSION THAT RAISED A HEARTY LAUGH AT HIS EXPENSE WELL BUT WHERE'S THE SONG EXCLAIMED ANOTHER AY SAID CRAGGS WE ARE FORGETTING THE SONG NOW FOR IT BILLY


SINCE ALL IS GOING ON SO WELL ABOVE STAIRS I'LL DRAW YOU A GALLON OF ALE BOYS AND WE LL DRINK TO THE MASTER'S SPEEDY RECOVERY IT WAS A RARE OCCASION WHEN THE CORPORAL SUFFERED HIMSELF TO EXPAND IN THIS FASHION AND GREAT WAS THE APPLAUSE AT THE UNEXPECTED MUNIFICENCE


BILLY AT THE SAME MOMENT TOOK OUT HIS FIDDLE AND BEGAN THAT PROCESS OF PREPARATORY SCREWING AND SCRAPING WHICH NO MATTER HOW DISTRESSING TO THE SURROUNDERS SEEMS TO AFFORD INTENSE DELIGHT TO PERFORMERS ON THIS INSTRUMENT IN THE PRESENT CASE


IT IS BUT FAIR TO SAY THERE WAS NEITHER COMMENT NOR IMPATIENCE ON THE CONTRARY THEY SEEMED TO ACCEPT THESE CONVULSIVE THROES OF SOUND AS AN EARNEST OF THE GRAND FLOOD OF MELODY THAT WAS COMING


I HAVE IT NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMEN HE SAID MAKING A LOW OBEISANCE TO THE COMPANY AND SO SAYING HE STRUCK UP A VERY POPULAR TUNE THE SAME TO WHICH A REVEREND DIVINE WROTE HIS WORDS OF


THE NIGHT BEFORE LARRY WAS STRETCHED AND IN A VOICE OF A DEEP AND MELLOW FULNESS MANAGED WITH CONSIDERABLE TASTE SANG A FIG FOR THE CHANSONS OF FRANCE WHOSE MEANING IS ALWAYS A RIDDLE


THE MUSIC TO SING OR TO DANCE IS AN IRISH TUNE PLAYED ON THE FIDDLE TO YOUR SONGS OF THE RHINE AND THE RHONE I M READY TO CRY OUT I AM SATIS JUST GIVE US SOMETHING OF OUR OWN IN PRAISE OF OUR LAND OF POTATOES


IN FACT IT POSSESSED THE GREATEST OF ALL CLAIMS TO THEIR ADMIRATION FOR IT WAS PARTLY INCOMPREHENSIBLE AND BY THE ARTFUL INTRODUCTION OF A WORD HERE AND THERE OF WHICH HIS HEARERS KNEW NOTHING


THE POET WAS WELL AWARE THAT HE WAS SECURING THEIR HEARTIEST APPROVAL NOR WAS BILLY INSENSIBLE TO SUCH FLATTERIES THE IRRITABILE GENUS HAS ITS SOFT SIDE AND CAN ENJOY TO THE UTTERMOST ITS OWN SUCCESSES


LESS CONFIDENT OF HIS OWN MERITS BUT UNDER NO POSSIBLE CHANGE OF PLACES OR PEOPLE COULD THE PRAISE HAVE BESTOWED MORE SINCERE PLEASURE YOU'RE RIGHT THERE JIM MORRIS SAID HE


WHEN I HAVEN'T TUPPENCE TO BUY TOBACCO AND WITHOUT A SHOE TO MY FOOT AND MY HAIR THROUGH MY HAT I CAN BE DANCIN WID PRINCESSES AND HANDIN EMPRESSES IN TO TAY MUSHA MUSHA


AND YOUR OWN HEART BUT WHAT YE ARE TO OTHERS THAT WITHOUT THAT SACRET BOND BETWEEN YOU WOULDN'T THINK OF YOU AT ALL I REMEMBER ONCE ON A TIME I WAS IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND TRAVELLING PARTLY FOR PLEASURE AND PARTLY WITH A VIEW TO A SMALL SPECULATION IN SHEFFIELD WARE


CHEAP PENKNIVES AND SCISSORS PENCIL CASES BODKINS AND THE LIKE AND I WANDERED ABOUT FOR WEEKS THROUGH WHAT THEY CALL THE LAKE COUNTRY A VERY HANDSOME PLACE


LIKE WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN IRELAND MORE WOOD FOREST TIMBER AND BETTER OFF PEOPLE BUT NOTHING BEYOND THAT WELL ONE EVENING IT WAS IN AUGUST I CAME DOWN BY A NARROW PATH TO THE SIDE OF A LAKE WHERE THERE WAS A STONE SEAT


RUNNING OUT INTO THE LAKE AND THERE WAS TWO ISLANDS ALL WOODED TO THE WATER'S EDGE AND BEHIND ALL IN THE DISTANCE WAS A GREAT MOUNTAIN WITH CLOUDS ON THE TOP AND IT WAS JUST THE SEASON WHEN THE TREES IS BEGINNIN TO CHANGE THEIR COLORS


AND I STRETCHED MYSELF DOWN AT THE WATER'S EDGE AND I FELL INTO A FIT OF MUSING IT'S OFTEN AND OFTEN I TRIED TO REMEMBER THE ELEGANT FANCIES THAT CAME THROUGH MY HEAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT I THOUGHT I SAW THAT NIGHT OUT ON THE LAKE FORNINT ME


YE SEE I WAS FRESH AND FASTIN I NEVER TASTED A BIT THE WHOLE DAY AND MY BRAIN MAYBE WAS ALL THE BETTER FOR SOMEHOW JANIUS REAL JANIUS THRIVES BEST ON A LITTLE STARVATION AND FROM MUSING


AND BLENDED IN WITH THE SLIGHT SPLASH OF OARS THAT MOVED THROUGH THE WATER CAREFULLY AS THOUGH NOT TO LOSE A WORD OF HIM THAT WAS SPEAKIN IT'S CLEAN BEYOND ME TO TELL YOU WHAT HE SAID AND MAYBE IF I COULD


FOR HE WAS DISCOORSIN ABOUT NIGHT AND THE MOON AND ALL THAT VARIOUS POETS SAID ABOUT THEM YE'D THINK THAT HE HAD BOOKS AND WAS READING OUT OF THEM SO GLIBLY CAME THE VERSES FROM HIS LIPS I NEVER LISTENED TO SUCH A VOICE BEFORE SO SOFT SO SWEET


SO MUSICAL AND THE WORDS CAME DROPPIN DOWN LIKE THE CLEAR WATER FILTERIN OVER A ROCKY LEDGE AND GLITTERIN LIKE LITTLE SPANGLES OVER MOSS AND WILD FLOWERS IT WASN'T ONLY IN ENGLISH BUT SCOTCH BALLADS TOO AND ONCE OR TWICE IN ITALIAN THAT HE RECITED


TILL AT LAST HE GAVE OUT IN ALL THE FULNESS OF HIS LIQUID VOICE THEM ELEGANT LINES OUT OF POPE'S HOMER AS WHEN THE MOON REFULGENT LAMP OF NIGHT O'ER HEAVEN'S CLEAR AZURE SPREADS HER SACRED LIGHT


WHEN NOT A BREATH DISTURBS THE DEEP SERENE AND NOT A CLOUD O'ERCASTS THE SOLEMN SCENE AROUND HER THRONE THE VIVID PLANETS ROLL AND STARS UNNUMBERED GILD THE GLOWING POLE O'ER THE DARK TREES A YELLOWER VERDURE SHED


AND TOP WITH SILVER EVERY MOUNTAIN'S HEAD THEN SHINE THE VALES THE ROCKS IN PROSPECT RISE A FLOOD OF GLORY BURSTS FROM ALL THE SKIES THE CONSCIOUS SWAINS REJOICING IN THE SIGHT


EYE THE BLUE VAULT AND BLESS THE USEFUL LIGHT THE LORD FORGIVE ME BUT WHEN HE CAME TO THE LAST WORDS AND SAID USEFUL LIGHT I COULDN'T RESTRAIN MYSELF BUT BROKE OUT THAT'S MIGHTY LIKE A BULL ANYHOW


IS IT YOU SAID HE WITH A QUIET LAUGH THAT ACCUSES POPE OF A BULL IT IS SAYS I AND WHAT'S MORE THERE ISN'T A POET FROM HORACE DOWNWARDS THAT I WON'T SHOW BULLS IN THERE'S BULLS IN SHAKSPEARE AND IN MILTON


THERE'S BULLS IN THE ANCIENTS I LL POINT OUT A BULL IN ARISTOPHANES WHAT HAVE WE HERE SAID HE TURNING TO THE OTHERS A POOR CRAYTURE SAYS I LIKE GOLDSMITH'S CHEST OF DRAWERS


WITH BRAINS REDUCED A DOABLE DEBT TO PAY TO DREAM BY NIGHT SELL SHEFFIELD WARE BY DAY WELL WITH THAT HE TOOK A FIT OF LAUGHING AND HANDING THE REST OUT OF THE BOAT


HE MADE ME COME ALONG AT HIS SIDE DISCOORSIN ME ABOUT MY THRAVELS AND ALL I SEEN AND ALL I READ TILL WE REACHED AN ELEGANT LITTLE COTTAGE ON A BANK RIGHT OVER THE LAKE AND THEN HE BROUGHT ME IN AND MADE ME TAKE TAY WITH THE FAMILY AND I SPENT THE NIGHT THERE


AND FOR MANY AN HOUR AFTERWARDS WHEN I JUST THINK OVER THEIR KIND WORDS AND PLEASANT FACES MORE THAN ONE OF THE COMPANY HAD DROPPED OFF ASLEEP DURING BILLY'S NARRATIVE AND OF THE OTHERS THEIR COMPLAISANCE AS LISTENERS APPEARED TAXED TO THE UTMOST


WHILE THE CORPORAL SNORED LOUDLY LIKE A MAN WHO HAD A RIGHT TO INDULGE HIMSELF TO THE FULLEST EXTENT THERE'S THE BELL AGAIN MUTTERED ONE THAT'S FROM THE LORD'S ROOM AND CRAGGS STARTING UP BY THE INSTINCT OF HIS OFFICE HASTENED OFF


TWO GENTLEMEN WERE COMING TOWARDS HER ACROSS THE ATLANTIC WHOSE MINDS IT CHANCED WERE VERY BUSILY OCCUPIED BY HER AFFAIRS ONE OF THESE WAS HER FATHER WHO WAS LYING IN HIS BRASS BED IN HIS COMMODIOUS CABIN ON THE HOLLANDIA


REGRETTING HIS DIMINISHING ABILITY TO SLEEP IN THE EARLY MORNING NOW EVEN WHEN HE WAS IN THE STRONG AND SOOTHING AIR OF MID ATLANTIC AND THINKING OF V V BECAUSE SHE HAD A WAY OF COMING INTO HIS MIND WHEN IT WAS UNDEFENDED


AND THE OTHER WAS MISTER GUNTER LAKE ON THE MEGANTIC ONE DAY OUT FROM SANDY HOOK WHO FOUND HIMSELF EQUALLY SLEEPLESS AND PREOCCUPIED AND ALTHOUGH MISTER LAKE WAS A MAN OF VAST ACTIVITIES AND COMPLICATED ENGAGEMENTS


HE WAS COMING NOW TO EUROPE FOR THE EXPRESS PURPOSE OF SEEING V V AND HAVING THINGS OUT WITH HER FULLY AND COMPLETELY BECAUSE IN SPITE OF ALL THAT HAD HAPPENED SHE MADE SUCH AN ENDLESS SERIES OF DELAYS IN COMING TO AMERICA


OLD GRAMMONT AS HE APPEARED UPON THE PILLOW OF HIS BED BY THE LIGHT OF A ROSE SHADED BEDSIDE LAMP WAS A SMALL HEADED GREY HAIRED GENTLEMAN WITH A WRINKLED FACE AND SUNKEN BROWN EYES YEARS OF BUSINESS EXPERIENCE


MITIGATED ONLY BY SUCH EXERCISE AS THE GAME OF POKER AFFORDS HAD INTENSIFIED AN INSTINCTIVE INEXPRESSIVENESS UNDER THE MOST SOLITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OLD GRAMMONT WAS STILL INEXPRESSIVE


HE WAS NOT EVEN TRYING TO SLEEP WHY HE MEDITATED HAD V V STAYED ON IN EUROPE SO MUCH LONGER THAN SHE NEED HAVE DONE AND WHY HAD GUNTER LAKE SUDDENLY GOT INTO A STATE OF MIND ABOUT HER


WHY DIDN'T THE GIRL CONFIDE IN HER FATHER AT LEAST ABOUT THESE THINGS WHAT WAS AFOOT SHE HAD THROWN OVER LAKE ONCE AND IT SEEMED SHE WAS GOING TO TURN HIM DOWN AGAIN WELL


WHATEVER ELSE YOU CALLED HER AND NO ONE COULD CALL GRAMMONT BLOOD ALL ORDINARY FLUID OLD GRAMMONT HAD NEVER HAD ANY DELUSIONS ABOUT LAKE IF LAKE'S FATHER HADN'T BEEN A BIG MAN


LAKE WOULD NEVER HAVE COUNTED FOR ANYTHING AT ALL SUPPOSE SHE DID TURN HIM DOWN IN ITSELF THAT WASN'T A THING TO BREAK HER FATHER'S HEART WHAT DID MATTER WAS NOT WHETHER SHE THREW LAKE OVER BUT WHAT SHE THREW HIM OVER FOR


IF IT WAS BECAUSE HE WASN'T MAN ENOUGH WELL AND GOOD BUT IF IT WAS FOR SOME OTHER LOVER SOME GOOD LOOKING WORTHLESS IMPOSTOR SOME EUROPEAN TITLE OR SUCHLIKE FOLLY


ENTERTAINING A LOVER BEING POSSIBLY MOST SHAMEFUL THOUGHT IN LOVE LIKE SOME ORDINARY SILLY FEMALE SINKING TO KISSES TO THE DEEDS ONE COULD BUY AND PAY FOR HIS V V


WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND OUT AGAINST HER HE HAD ASKED IN A LOW EVEN VOICE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING SIR SAID THE AGENT SUDDENLY WHITE TO THE LIPS


OLD GRAMMONT STARED AT HIS MEMORY OF THAT MOMENT FOR A WHILE THAT AFFAIR WAS ALL RIGHT QUITE ALL RIGHT OF COURSE IT WAS ALL RIGHT AND ALSO HAPPILY CASTON WAS AMONG THE DEAD


BUT IT WAS WELL HER BROKEN ENGAGEMENT WITH LAKE HAD BEEN RESUMED AS THOUGH IT HAD NEVER BEEN BROKEN OFF IF THERE HAD BEEN ANY TALK THAT FACT ANSWERED IT AND NOW THAT LAKE HAD SERVED HIS PURPOSE


OLD GRAMMONT DID NOT CARE IN THE LEAST IF HE WAS SHELVED V V COULD STAND ALONE OLD GRAMMONT HAD GOT A PHRASE IN HIS MIND THAT LOOKED LIKE DOMINATING THE SITUATION HE DREAMT OF SAYING TO V V


AS AN ABLE YOUNG BUSINESS MAN PERHAPS SOME DAY A LONG TIME AHEAD SHE MIGHT MARRY THERE WASN'T MUCH REASON FOR IT BUT IT MIGHT BE SHE WOULD NOT WISH TO BE CALLED A SPINSTER TAKE A HUSBAND


THOUGHT OLD GRAMMONT WHEN I AM GONE AS ONE TAKES A BUTLER TO MAKE THE HOUSEHOLD COMPLETE IN PREVIOUS MEDITATIONS ON HIS DAUGHTER'S OUTLOOK OLD GRAMMONT HAD FOUND MUCH THAT WAS VERY SUGGESTIVE IN THE PRECEDENT OF QUEEN VICTORIA


SHE HAD HAD NO HUSBAND OF THE LORD AND MASTER TYPE SO TO SPEAK BUT ONLY A PRINCE CONSORT WELL IN HAND WHY SHOULDN'T THE GRAMMONT HEIRESS DOMINATE HER MALE BELONGING IF IT CAME TO THAT IN THE SAME FASHION


NEVER FEAR YET IT WAS A CURIOUS ANOMALY THAT WHILE ONE HAD A THOUSAND WAYS OF DEFENDING ONE'S DAUGHTER AND ONE'S PROPERTY AGAINST THAT DAUGHTER'S HUSBAND THERE WAS NO POWER ON EARTH BY WHICH A FATHER


HIS PROTECTIVE DUTY TO THEM THESE COMPANIONS THESE SEYFFERT WOMEN AND SO FORTH WERE ALL VERY WELL IN THEIR WAY THERE WASN'T MUCH THEY KEPT FROM YOU IF YOU GOT THEM CORNERED AND ASKED THEM INTENTLY


STRAIGHT AND LOVELY DESIRABLE AND UNAPPROACHABLE ABOVE THAT SORT OF NONSENSE ABOVE ALL OTHER MASCULINE SUBJUGATION V V I'M GOING TO MAKE A MAN OF YOU HIS MIND GREW CALMER


WHATEVER SHE WANTED IN PARIS SHOULD BE HERS HE'D JUST LET HER RIP THEY'D BE LIKE SWEETHEARTS TOGETHER HE AND HIS GIRL OLD GRAMMONT DOZED OFF INTO DREAMLAND SECTION FIVE


DON'T I KNOW MY DEAR GIRL THAT YOU DON'T LOVE ME YET LET THAT BE AS YOU WISH I WANT NOTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO GIVE ME NOTHING AT ALL ALL I ASK IS THE PRIVILEGE OF MAKING LIFE HAPPY


AND IT SHALL BE HAPPY FOR YOU ALL I ASK ALL I ASK PROTECT GUARD CHERISH FOR TO MISTER GUNTER LAKE IT SEEMED THERE COULD BE NO LOVELIER THING IN LIFE THAN A WIFE


HE IS THE SORT OF MAN WHO CAN ARRANGE THINGS LIKE THAT THERE'LL BE SOMEONE AT FALMOUTH TO LOOK AFTER US AND PUT US ABOARD THE LINER I MUST WIRE THEM WHERE I CAN PICK UP A TELEGRAM TO MORROW WELLS IN SOMERSET


LOOKING OUT DREAMILY OVER BEAUTIFUL VIEWS THEY WOULD LUNCH IN SHAFTESBURY AND WALK ROUND IT THEN THEY WOULD GO IN THE AFTERNOON THROUGH THE PLEASANT WEST COUNTRY WHERE THE CELTS HAD PREVAILED AGAINST THE OLD FOLK OF THE STONEHENGE TEMPLE


AND THE ROMANS AGAINST THE CELTS AND THE SAXONS AGAINST THE ROMANIZED BRITONS AND THE DANES AGAINST THE SAXONS A WAR SCARRED LANDSCAPE ABOUNDING IN DYKES AND ENTRENCHMENTS AND CASTLES SUNKEN NOW INTO THE DEEPEST PEACE TO GLASTONBURY


THENCE THEY WOULD GO ON TO WELLS TO SEE YET ANOTHER GREAT CATHEDRAL AND TO DINE AND SLEEP GLASTONBURY ABBEY AND WELLS CATHEDRAL BROUGHT THE STORY OF EUROPE RIGHT UP TO REFORMATION TIMES THAT WILL BE A GOOD DAY FOR US


SAID SIR RICHMOND IT WILL BE LIKE TURNING OVER THE PAGES OF THE HISTORY OF OUR FAMILY TO AND FRO


I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING OF OUR OLD RIVER SEVERN WE WILL COME RIGHT UP TO THE PRESENT IF WE GO THROUGH BRISTOL THERE WE SHALL HAVE A WHIFF OF AMERICA OUR NEW FIND FROM WHICH THE TOBACCO COMES


MOTHER OF I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY AMERICAN GLOUCESTERS BATH WE'LL GET IN SOMEHOW AND THEN AS AN ANGLO AMERICAN SHOWMAN I SHALL BE TEMPTED TO RUN YOU NORTHWARD A LITTLE WAY PAST TEWKESBURY


JUST TO GO INTO A CHURCH HERE AND THERE AND SHOW YOU MONUMENTS BEARING LITTLE SHIELDS WITH THE STARS AND STRIPES UPON THEM


THE WASHINGTON FAMILY MONUMENTS IT WAS NOT ONLY FROM ENGLAND THAT AMERICA CAME SAID MISS GRAMMONT BUT ENGLAND TAKES AN AMERICAN MEMORY BACK MOST EASILY AND MOST FULLY


AND THE BALTIC NORTHMEN PAST THE EMPERORS AND THE CORINTHIAN COLUMNS THAT SMOTHERED LATIN EUROPE FOR YOU AND ME ANYHOW THIS IS OUR PAST THIS WAS OUR CHILDHOOD AND THIS IS OUR LAND


AND TELL THEM TO SEND THEIR INSTRUCTIONS TO WELLS


CHAPTER SIXTEEN NO ONE IN ALL RAYMOND INCLUDING THE RECTANGLE FELT LOREEN'S DEATH MORE KEENLY THAN VIRGINIA IT CAME LIKE A DISTINCT PERSONAL LOSS TO HER


THAT SHORT WEEK WHILE THE GIRL HAD BEEN IN HER HOME HAD OPENED VIRGINIA'S HEART TO A NEW LIFE SHE WAS TALKING IT OVER WITH RACHEL THE DAY AFTER THE FUNERAL


I AM GOING TO DO SOMETHING WITH MY MONEY TO HELP THOSE WOMEN TO A BETTER LIFE VIRGINIA LOOKED OVER TO THE END OF THE HALL WHERE THE DAY BEFORE LOREEN'S BODY HAD LAIN I HAVE DECIDED ON A GOOD PLAN AS IT SEEMS TO ME


I HAVE TALKED IT OVER WITH ROLLIN HE WILL DEVOTE A LARGE PART OF HIS MONEY ALSO TO THE SAME PLAN HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE YOU VIRGINIA TO GIVE IN THIS WAY ASKED RACHEL ONCE SHE WOULD NEVER HAVE ASKED SUCH A PERSONAL QUESTION


NOW IT SEEMED AS NATURAL TO TALK FRANKLY ABOUT MONEY AS ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE THAT BELONGED TO GOD I HAVE AVAILABLE FOR USE AT LEAST FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ROLLIN HAS AS MUCH MORE


IT IS ONE OF HIS BITTER REGRETS NOW THAT HIS EXTRAVAGANT HABITS OF LIFE BEFORE HIS CONVERSION PRACTICALLY THREW AWAY HALF THAT FATHER LEFT HIM WE ARE BOTH EAGER TO MAKE ALL THE REPARATION IN OUR POWER WHAT WOULD JESUS DO WITH THIS MONEY


WE WANT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION HONESTLY AND WISELY THE MONEY I SHALL PUT INTO THE NEWS IS I AM CONFIDENT IN A LINE WITH HIS PROBABLE ACTION


IT IS AS NECESSARY THAT WE HAVE A CHRISTIAN DAILY PAPER IN RAYMOND ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE HAVE THE SALOON INFLUENCE TO MEET AS IT IS TO HAVE A CHURCH OR A COLLEGE SO I AM SATISFIED THAT THE FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT MISTER NORMAN WILL KNOW HOW TO USE SO WELL


WILL BE A POWERFUL FACTOR IN RAYMOND TO DO AS JESUS WOULD ABOUT MY OTHER PLAN RACHEL I WANT YOU TO WORK WITH ME


THE FIELD WHERE THE TENT NOW IS HAS BEEN IN LITIGATION FOR YEARS WE MEAN TO SECURE THE ENTIRE TRACT AS SOON AS THE COURTS HAVE SETTLED THE TITLE FOR SOME TIME I HAVE BEEN MAKING A SPECIAL STUDY OF THE VARIOUS FORMS OF COLLEGE SETTLEMENTS AND RESIDENCE METHODS


OF CHRISTIAN WORK AND INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH WORK IN THE HEART OF GREAT CITY SLUMS I DO NOT KNOW THAT I HAVE YET BEEN ABLE TO TELL JUST WHAT IS THE WISEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE KIND OF WORK THAT CAN BE DONE IN RAYMOND BUT I DO KNOW THIS MUCH


MY MONEY I MEAN GOD'S WHICH HE WANTS ME TO USE CAN BUILD WHOLESOME LODGING HOUSES REFUGES FOR POOR WOMEN ASYLUMS FOR SHOP GIRLS SAFETY FOR MANY AND MANY A LOST GIRL LIKE LOREEN


AND I DO NOT WANT TO BE SIMPLY A DISPENSER OF THIS MONEY GOD HELP ME I DO WANT TO PUT MYSELF INTO THE PROBLEM BUT YOU KNOW RACHEL I HAVE A FEELING ALL THE TIME THAT ALL THAT LIMITLESS MONEY AND LIMITLESS PERSONAL SACRIFICE CAN POSSIBLY DO


WILL NOT REALLY LESSEN VERY MUCH THE AWFUL CONDITION AT THE RECTANGLE AS LONG AS THE SALOON IS LEGALLY ESTABLISHED THERE I THINK THAT IS TRUE OF ANY CHRISTIAN WORK NOW BEING CARRIED ON IN ANY GREAT CITY


THE SALOON FURNISHES MATERIAL TO BE SAVED FASTER THAN THE SETTLEMENT OR RESIDENCE OR RESCUE MISSION WORK CAN SAVE IT VIRGINIA SUDDENLY ROSE AND PACED THE HALL RACHEL ANSWERED SADLY AND YET WITH A NOTE OF HOPE IN HER VOICE


BUT VIRGINIA WHAT A WONDERFUL AMOUNT OF GOOD CAN BE DONE WITH THIS MONEY AND THE SALOON CANNOT ALWAYS REMAIN HERE THE TIME MUST COME WHEN THE CHRISTIAN FORCES IN THE CITY WILL TRIUMPH VIRGINIA PAUSED NEAR RACHEL AND HER PALE EARNEST FACE LIGHTED UP


I BELIEVE THAT TOO THE NUMBER OF THOSE WHO HAVE PROMISED TO DO AS JESUS WOULD IS INCREASING IF WE ONCE HAVE SAY FIVE HUNDRED SUCH DISCIPLES IN RAYMOND THE SALOON IS DOOMED


BUT NOW DEAR I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT YOUR PART IN THIS PLAN FOR CAPTURING AND SAVING THE RECTANGLE YOUR VOICE IS A POWER I HAVE HAD MANY IDEAS LATELY HERE IS ONE OF THEM YOU COULD ORGANIZE AMONG THE GIRLS A MUSICAL INSTITUTE


GIVE THEM THE BENEFIT OF YOUR TRAINING THERE ARE SOME SPLENDID VOICES IN THE ROUGH THERE DID ANY ONE EVER HEAR SUCH SINGING AS THAT YESTERDAY BY THOSE WOMEN RACHEL WHAT A BEAUTIFUL OPPORTUNITY


YOU SHALL HAVE THE BEST OF MATERIAL IN THE WAY OF ORGANS AND ORCHESTRAS THAT MONEY CAN PROVIDE AND WHAT CANNOT BE DONE WITH MUSIC TO WIN SOULS THERE INTO HIGHER AND PURER AND BETTER LIVING


BEFORE VIRGINIA HAD CEASED SPEAKING RACHEL'S FACE WAS PERFECTLY TRANSFORMED WITH THE THOUGHT OF HER LIFE WORK IT FLOWED INTO HER HEART AND MIND LIKE A FLOOD AND THE TORRENT OF HER FEELING OVERFLOWED IN TEARS THAT COULD NOT BE RESTRAINED


IT WAS WHAT SHE HAD DREAMED OF DOING HERSELF IT REPRESENTED TO HER SOMETHING THAT SHE FELT WAS IN KEEPING WITH A RIGHT USE OF HER TALENT YES SHE SAID AS SHE ROSE AND PUT HER ARM ABOUT VIRGINIA


WHILE BOTH GIRLS IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THEIR ENTHUSIASM PACED THE HALL YES I WILL GLADLY PUT MY LIFE INTO THAT KIND OF SERVICE I DO BELIEVE THAT JESUS WOULD HAVE ME USE MY LIFE IN THIS WAY VIRGINIA WHAT MIRACLES CAN WE NOT ACCOMPLISH IN HUMANITY


IF WE HAVE SUCH A LEVER AS CONSECRATED MONEY TO MOVE THINGS WITH ADD TO IT CONSECRATED PERSONAL ENTHUSIASM LIKE YOURS AND IT CERTAINLY CAN ACCOMPLISH GREAT THINGS SAID VIRGINIA SMILING


ROLLIN CAME BACK AND SAT DOWN AND TOGETHER THE THREE DISCUSSED THEIR FUTURE PLANS ROLLIN WAS APPARENTLY ENTIRELY FREE FROM EMBARRASSMENT IN RACHEL'S PRESENCE WHILE VIRGINIA WAS WITH THEM ONLY HIS MANNER WITH HER WAS ALMOST PRECISE IF NOT COLD


THE PAST SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN ENTIRELY ABSORBED IN HIS WONDERFUL CONVERSION HE HAD NOT FORGOTTEN IT BUT HE SEEMED TO BE COMPLETELY CAUGHT UP FOR THIS PRESENT TIME IN THE PURPOSE OF HIS NEW LIFE


AFTER A WHILE ROLLIN WAS CALLED OUT AND RACHEL AND VIRGINIA BEGAN TO TALK OF OTHER THINGS BY THE WAY WHAT HAS BECOME OF JASPER CHASE VIRGINIA ASKED THE QUESTION INNOCENTLY BUT RACHEL FLUSHED AND VIRGINIA ADDED WITH A SMILE


I SUPPOSE HE IS WRITING ANOTHER BOOK IS HE GOING TO PUT YOU INTO THIS ONE RACHEL YOU KNOW I ALWAYS SUSPECTED JASPER CHASE OF DOING THAT VERY THING IN HIS FIRST STORY VIRGINIA


RACHEL SPOKE WITH THE FRANKNESS THAT HAD ALWAYS EXISTED BETWEEN THE TWO FRIENDS JASPER CHASE TOLD ME THE OTHER NIGHT THAT HE IN FACT HE PROPOSED TO ME OR HE WOULD IF


RACHEL STOPPED AND SAT WITH HER HANDS CLASPED ON HER LAP AND THERE WERE TEARS IN HER EYES VIRGINIA I THOUGHT A LITTLE WHILE AGO I LOVED HIM AS HE SAID HE LOVED ME BUT WHEN HE SPOKE MY HEART FELT REPELLED AND I SAID WHAT I OUGHT TO SAY


I TOLD HIM NO I HAVE NOT SEEN HIM SINCE THAT WAS THE NIGHT OF THE FIRST CONVERSIONS AT THE RECTANGLE I AM GLAD FOR YOU SAID VIRGINIA QUIETLY WHY ASKED RACHEL A LITTLE STARTLED


BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER REALLY LIKED JASPER CHASE HE IS TOO COLD AND I DO NOT LIKE TO JUDGE HIM BUT I HAVE ALWAYS DISTRUSTED HIS SINCERITY IN TAKING THE PLEDGE AT THE CHURCH WITH THE REST


RACHEL LOOKED AT VIRGINIA THOUGHTFULLY I HAVE NEVER GIVEN MY HEART TO HIM I AM SURE HE TOUCHED MY EMOTIONS AND I ADMIRED HIS SKILL AS A WRITER I HAVE THOUGHT AT TIMES THAT I CARED A GOOD DEAL FOR HIM


I THINK PERHAPS IF HE HAD SPOKEN TO ME AT ANY OTHER TIME THAN THE ONE HE CHOSE I COULD EASILY HAVE PERSUADED MYSELF THAT I LOVED HIM BUT NOT NOW AGAIN RACHEL PAUSED SUDDENLY AND WHEN SHE LOOKED UP AT VIRGINIA AGAIN THERE WERE TEARS ON HER FACE


VIRGINIA CAME TO HER AND PUT HER ARM ABOUT HER TENDERLY WHEN RACHEL HAD LEFT THE HOUSE VIRGINIA SAT IN THE HALL THINKING OVER THE CONFIDENCE HER FRIEND HAD JUST SHOWN HER THERE WAS SOMETHING STILL TO BE TOLD VIRGINIA FELT SURE FROM RACHEL'S MANNER


BUT SHE DID NOT FEEL HURT THAT RACHEL HAD KEPT BACK SOMETHING SHE WAS SIMPLY CONSCIOUS OF MORE ON RACHEL'S MIND THAN SHE HAD REVEALED VERY SOON ROLLIN CAME BACK AND HE AND VIRGINIA ARM IN ARM AS THEY HAD LATELY BEEN IN THE HABIT OF DOING WALKED UP AND DOWN THE LONG HALL


IT WAS EASY FOR THEIR TALK TO SETTLE FINALLY UPON RACHEL BECAUSE OF THE PLACE SHE WAS TO OCCUPY IN THE PLANS WHICH WERE BEING MADE FOR THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY AT THE RECTANGLE


DID YOU EVER KNOW OF A GIRL OF SUCH REALLY GIFTED POWERS IN VOCAL MUSIC WHO WAS WILLING TO GIVE HER LIFE TO THE PEOPLE AS RACHEL IS GOING TO DO SHE IS GOING TO GIVE MUSIC LESSONS IN THE CITY HAVE PRIVATE PUPILS TO MAKE HER LIVING


AND THEN GIVE THE PEOPLE IN THE RECTANGLE THE BENEFIT OF HER CULTURE AND HER VOICE IT IS CERTAINLY A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE OF SELF SACRIFICE REPLIED ROLLIN A LITTLE STIFFLY VIRGINIA LOOKED AT HIM A LITTLE SHARPLY


BUT DON'T YOU THINK IT IS A VERY UNUSUAL EXAMPLE CAN YOU IMAGINE HERE VIRGINIA NAMED HALF A DOZEN FAMOUS OPERA SINGERS DOING ANYTHING OF THIS SORT NO I CANNOT ROLLIN ANSWERED BRIEFLY


NEITHER CAN I IMAGINE MISS HE SPOKE THE NAME OF THE GIRL WITH THE RED PARASOL WHO HAD BEGGED VIRGINIA TO TAKE THE GIRLS TO THE RECTANGLE DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING VIRGINIA ANY MORE THAN I CAN IMAGINE MISTER


VIRGINIA SPOKE THE NAME OF A YOUNG SOCIETY LEADER GOING ABOUT TO THE CLUBS DOING YOUR WORK ROLLIN THE TWO WALKED ON IN SILENCE FOR THE LENGTH OF THE HALL COMING BACK TO RACHEL BEGAN VIRGINIA


ROLLIN WHY DO YOU TREAT HER WITH SUCH A DISTINCT PRECISE MANNER I THINK ROLLIN PARDON ME IF I HURT YOU THAT SHE IS ANNOYED BY IT YOU NEED TO BE ON EASY TERMS I DON'T THINK RACHEL LIKES THIS CHANGE


ROLLIN SUDDENLY STOPPED HE SEEMED DEEPLY AGITATED HE TOOK HIS ARM FROM VIRGINIA'S AND WALKED ALONE TO THE END OF THE HALL THEN HE RETURNED WITH HIS HANDS BEHIND HIM AND STOPPED NEAR HIS SISTER AND SAID


VIRGINIA HAVE YOU NOT LEARNED MY SECRET VIRGINIA LOOKED BEWILDERED THEN OVER HER FACE THE UNUSUAL COLOR CREPT SHOWING THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD I HAVE NEVER LOVED ANY ONE BUT RACHEL WINSLOW ROLLIN SPOKE CALMLY ENOUGH NOW


THAT DAY SHE WAS HERE WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT HER REFUSAL TO JOIN THE CONCERT COMPANY I ASKED HER TO BE MY WIFE OUT THERE ON THE AVENUE SHE REFUSED ME AS I KNEW SHE WOULD AND SHE GAVE AS HER REASON THE FACT THAT I HAD NO PURPOSE IN LIFE WHICH WAS TRUE ENOUGH


NOW THAT I HAVE A PURPOSE NOW THAT I AM A NEW MAN DON'T YOU SEE VIRGINIA HOW IMPOSSIBLE IT IS FOR ME TO SAY ANYTHING I OWE MY VERY CONVERSION TO RACHEL'S SINGING


AND YET THAT NIGHT WHILE SHE SANG I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT FOR THE TIME BEING I NEVER THOUGHT OF HER VOICE EXCEPT AS GOD'S MESSAGE I BELIEVE THAT ALL MY PERSONAL LOVE FOR HER WAS FOR THE TIME MERGED INTO A PERSONAL LOVE TO MY GOD AND MY SAVIOUR


ROLLIN WAS SILENT THEN HE WENT ON WITH MORE EMOTION I STILL LOVE HER VIRGINIA


HE STOPPED AND LOOKED HIS SISTER IN THE FACE WITH A SAD SMILE I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT SAID VIRGINIA TO HERSELF SHE WAS NOTING ROLLIN'S HANDSOME FACE HIS MARKS OF DISSIPATION NEARLY ALL GONE NOW


THE FIRM LIPS SHOWING MANHOOD AND COURAGE THE CLEAR EYES LOOKING INTO HERS FRANKLY THE FORM STRONG AND GRACEFUL ROLLIN WAS A MAN NOW WHY SHOULD NOT RACHEL COME TO LOVE HIM IN TIME


HE HAD COME SUDDENLY UPON HER AS HE TURNED INTO THE AVENUE AND HIS HEART HAD LEAPED UP AT THE SIGHT OF HER HE WALKED ALONG BY HER NOW REJOICING AFTER ALL IN A LITTLE MOMENT OF THIS EARTHLY LOVE HE COULD NOT DRIVE OUT OF HIS LIFE I HAVE JUST BEEN OVER TO SEE VIRGINIA


SAID RACHEL SHE TELLS ME THE ARRANGEMENTS ARE NEARLY COMPLETED FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE RECTANGLE PROPERTY YES IT HAS BEEN A TEDIOUS CASE IN THE COURTS DID VIRGINIA SHOW YOU ALL THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR BUILDING


WE LOOKED OVER A GOOD MANY IT IS ASTONISHING TO ME WHERE VIRGINIA HAS MANAGED TO GET ALL HER IDEAS ABOUT THIS WORK VIRGINIA KNOWS MORE NOW ABOUT ARNOLD TOYNBEE AND EAST END LONDON AND INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH WORK IN AMERICA


THAN A GOOD MANY PROFESSIONAL SLUM WORKERS SHE HAS BEEN SPENDING NEARLY ALL SUMMER IN GETTING INFORMATION ROLLIN WAS BEGINNING TO FEEL MORE AT EASE AS THEY TALKED OVER THIS COMING WORK OF HUMANITY IT WAS SAFE COMMON GROUND


WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL SUMMER I HAVE NOT SEEN MUCH OF YOU RACHEL SUDDENLY ASKED AND THEN HER FACE WARMED WITH ITS QUICK FLUSH OF TROPICAL COLOR AS IF SHE MIGHT HAVE IMPLIED TOO MUCH INTEREST IN ROLLIN OR TOO MUCH REGRET AT NOT SEEING HIM OFTENER


I HAVE BEEN BUSY REPLIED ROLLIN BRIEFLY TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT IT PERSISTED RACHEL YOU SAY SO LITTLE


SHE PUT THE QUESTION VERY FRANKLY TURNING TOWARD ROLLIN IN REAL EARNEST YES CERTAINLY HE REPLIED WITH A GRACEFUL SMILE I AM NOT SO CERTAIN THAT I CAN TELL YOU MUCH


I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOME WAY TO REACH THE MEN I ONCE KNEW AND WIN THEM INTO MORE USEFUL LIVES HE STOPPED SUDDENLY AS IF HE WERE ALMOST AFRAID TO GO ON RACHEL DID NOT VENTURE TO SUGGEST ANYTHING


I HAVE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE SAME COMPANY TO WHICH YOU AND VIRGINIA BELONG CONTINUED ROLLIN BEGINNING AGAIN I HAVE MADE THE PLEDGE TO DO AS I BELIEVE JESUS WOULD DO


AND IT IS IN TRYING TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING MY WORK THAT IS WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND VIRGINIA TOLD ME ABOUT THE OTHER IT SEEMS WONDERFUL TO THINK THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO KEEP THAT PLEDGE WITH US BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THE CLUB MEN


YOU HAVE ASKED ME A DIRECT QUESTION AND I SHALL HAVE TO ANSWER IT NOW REPLIED ROLLIN SMILING AGAIN YOU SEE I ASKED MYSELF AFTER THAT NIGHT AT THE TENT YOU REMEMBER HE SPOKE HURRIEDLY AND HIS VOICE TREMBLED A LITTLE


WHAT PURPOSE I COULD NOW HAVE IN MY LIFE TO REDEEM IT TO SATISFY MY THOUGHT OF CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP AND THE MORE I THOUGHT OF IT THE MORE I WAS DRIVEN TO A PLACE WHERE I KNEW I MUST TAKE UP THE CROSS


DID YOU EVER THINK THAT OF ALL THE NEGLECTED BEINGS IN OUR SOCIAL SYSTEM NONE ARE QUITE SO COMPLETELY LEFT ALONE AS THE FAST YOUNG MEN WHO FILL THE CLUBS AND WASTE THEIR TIME AND MONEY AS I USED TO


THE CHURCHES LOOK AFTER THE POOR MISERABLE CREATURES LIKE THOSE IN THE RECTANGLE THEY MAKE SOME EFFORT TO REACH THE WORKING MAN THEY HAVE A LARGE CONSTITUENCY AMONG THE AVERAGE SALARY EARNING PEOPLE THEY SEND MONEY AND MISSIONARIES TO THE FOREIGN HEATHEN


BUT THE FASHIONABLE DISSIPATED YOUNG MEN AROUND TOWN THE CLUB MEN ARE LEFT OUT OF ALL PLANS FOR REACHING AND CHRISTIANIZING AND YET NO CLASS OF PEOPLE NEED IT MORE I SAID TO MYSELF I KNOW THESE MEN THEIR GOOD AND THEIR BAD QUALITIES I HAVE BEEN ONE OF THEM


I AM NOT FITTED TO REACH THE RECTANGLE PEOPLE I DO NOT KNOW HOW BUT I THINK I COULD POSSIBLY REACH SOME OF THE YOUNG MEN AND BOYS WHO HAVE MONEY AND TIME TO SPEND SO THAT IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO


WHEN I ASKED AS YOU DID WHAT WOULD JESUS DO THAT WAS MY ANSWER


ROLLIN'S VOICE WAS SO LOW ON THIS LAST SENTENCE THAT RACHEL HAD DIFFICULTY IN HEARING HIM ABOVE THE NOISE AROUND THEM BUT SHE KNEW WHAT HE HAD SAID SHE WANTED TO ASK WHAT HIS METHODS WERE BUT SHE DID NOT KNOW HOW TO ASK HIM


HER INTEREST IN HIS PLAN WAS LARGER THAN MERE CURIOSITY ROLLIN PAGE WAS SO DIFFERENT NOW FROM THE FASHIONABLE YOUNG MAN WHO HAD ASKED HER TO BE HIS WIFE THAT SHE COULD NOT HELP THINKING OF HIM AND TALKING WITH HIM AS IF HE WERE AN ENTIRELY NEW ACQUAINTANCE


THEY HAD TURNED OFF THE AVENUE AND WERE GOING UP THE STREET TO RACHEL'S HOME IT WAS THE SAME STREET WHERE ROLLIN HAD ASKED RACHEL WHY SHE COULD NOT LOVE HIM THEY WERE BOTH STRICKEN WITH A SUDDEN SHYNESS AS THEY WENT ON


RACHEL HAD NOT FORGOTTEN THAT DAY AND ROLLIN COULD NOT SHE FINALLY BROKE A LONG SILENCE BY ASKING WHAT SHE HAD NOT FOUND WORDS FOR BEFORE


IN YOUR WORK WITH THE CLUB MEN WITH YOUR OLD ACQUAINTANCES WHAT SORT OF RECEPTION DO THEY GIVE YOU HOW DO YOU APPROACH THEM WHAT DO THEY SAY ROLLIN WAS RELIEVED WHEN RACHEL SPOKE HE ANSWERED QUICKLY OH IT DEPENDS ON THE MAN


A GOOD MANY OF THEM THINK I AM A CRANK I HAVE KEPT MY MEMBERSHIP UP AND AM IN GOOD STANDING IN THAT WAY I TRY TO BE WISE AND NOT PROVOKE ANY UNNECESSARY CRITICISM BUT YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW HOW MANY OF THE MEN HAVE RESPONDED TO MY APPEAL


I COULD HARDLY MAKE YOU BELIEVE THAT ONLY A FEW NIGHTS AGO A DOZEN MEN BECAME HONESTLY AND EARNESTLY ENGAGED IN A CONVERSATION OVER RELIGIOUS MATTERS I HAVE HAD THE GREAT JOY OF SEEING SOME OF THE MEN GIVE UP BAD HABITS AND BEGIN A NEW LIFE


WHAT WOULD JESUS DO I KEEP ASKING IT THE ANSWER COMES SLOWLY FOR I AM FEELING MY WAY SLOWLY ONE THING I HAVE FOUND OUT THE MEN ARE NOT FIGHTING SHY OF ME I THINK THAT IS A GOOD SIGN


ANOTHER THING I HAVE ACTUALLY INTERESTED SOME OF THEM IN THE RECTANGLE WORK AND WHEN IT IS STARTED UP THEY WILL GIVE SOMETHING TO HELP MAKE IT MORE POWERFUL AND IN ADDITION TO ALL THE REST I HAVE FOUND A WAY TO SAVE SEVERAL OF THE YOUNG FELLOWS FROM GOING TO THE BAD IN GAMBLING


ROLLIN SPOKE WITH ENTHUSIASM HIS FACE WAS TRANSFORMED BY HIS INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT WHICH HAD NOW BECOME A PART OF HIS REAL LIFE RACHEL AGAIN NOTED THE STRONG MANLY TONE OF HIS SPEECH


WITH IT ALL SHE KNEW THERE WAS A DEEP UNDERLYING SERIOUSNESS WHICH FELT THE BURDEN OF THE CROSS EVEN WHILE CARRYING IT WITH JOY THE NEXT TIME SHE SPOKE IT WAS WITH A SWIFT FEELING OF JUSTICE DUE TO ROLLIN AND HIS NEW LIFE


DO YOU REMEMBER I REPROACHED YOU ONCE FOR NOT HAVING ANY PURPOSE WORTH LIVING FOR SHE ASKED WHILE HER BEAUTIFUL FACE SEEMED TO ROLLIN MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN EVER WHEN HE HAD WON SUFFICIENT SELF CONTROL TO LOOK UP I WANT TO SAY


I FEEL THE NEED OF SAYING IN JUSTICE TO YOU NOW THAT I HONOR YOU FOR YOUR COURAGE AND YOUR OBEDIENCE TO THE PROMISE YOU HAVE MADE AS YOU INTERPRET THE PROMISE THE LIFE YOU ARE LIVING IS A NOBLE ONE ROLLIN TREMBLED HIS AGITATION WAS GREATER THAN HE COULD CONTROL


RACHEL COULD NOT HELP SEEING IT THEY WALKED ALONG IN SILENCE AT LAST ROLLIN SAID I THANK YOU IT HAS BEEN WORTH MORE TO ME THAN I CAN TELL YOU TO HEAR YOU SAY THAT HE LOOKED INTO HER FACE FOR ONE MOMENT


SHE READ HIS LOVE FOR HER IN THAT LOOK BUT HE DID NOT SPEAK WHEN THEY SEPARATED RACHEL WENT INTO THE HOUSE AND SITTING DOWN IN HER ROOM SHE PUT HER FACE IN HER HANDS AND SAID TO HERSELF


I AM BEGINNING TO KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE LOVED BY A NOBLE MAN I SHALL LOVE ROLLIN PAGE AFTER ALL WHAT AM I SAYING RACHEL WINSLOW HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN SHE ROSE AND WALKED BACK AND FORTH SHE WAS DEEPLY MOVED


NEVERTHELESS IT WAS EVIDENT TO HERSELF THAT HER EMOTION WAS NOT THAT OF REGRET OR SORROW SOMEHOW A GLAD NEW JOY HAD COME TO HER


IT WAS INDEED A PART OF IT FOR IF SHE WAS BEGINNING TO LOVE ROLLIN PAGE IT WAS THE CHRISTIAN MAN SHE HAD BEGUN TO LOVE THE OTHER NEVER WOULD HAVE MOVED HER TO THIS GREAT CHANGE


AND ROLLIN AS HE WENT BACK TREASURED A HOPE THAT HAD BEEN A STRANGER TO HIM SINCE RACHEL HAD SAID NO THAT DAY


IN THAT HOPE HE WENT ON WITH HIS WORK AS THE DAYS SPED ON AND AT NO TIME WAS HE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN REACHING AND SAVING HIS OLD ACQUAINTANCES THAN IN THE TIME THAT FOLLOWED THAT CHANCE MEETING WITH RACHEL WINSLOW


THE SUMMER HAD GONE AND RAYMOND WAS ONCE MORE FACING THE RIGOR OF HER WINTER SEASON VIRGINIA HAD BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH A PART OF HER PLAN FOR CAPTURING THE RECTANGLE AS SHE CALLED IT


BUT THE BUILDING OF HOUSES IN THE FIELD THE TRANSFORMING OF ITS BLEAK BARE ASPECT INTO AN ATTRACTIVE PARK ALL OF WHICH WAS INCLUDED IN HER PLAN WAS A WORK TOO LARGE TO BE COMPLETED THAT FALL AFTER SHE HAD SECURED THE PROPERTY


BUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN THE HANDS OF A PERSON WHO TRULY WANTS TO DO WITH IT AS JESUS WOULD


OUGHT TO ACCOMPLISH WONDERS FOR HUMANITY IN A SHORT TIME AND HENRY MAXWELL GOING OVER TO THE SCENE OF THE NEW WORK ONE DAY AFTER A NOON HOUR WITH THE SHOP MEN WAS AMAZED TO SEE HOW MUCH HAD BEEN DONE OUTWARDLY


YET HE WALKED HOME THOUGHTFULLY AND ON HIS WAY HE COULD NOT AVOID THE QUESTION OF THE CONTINUAL PROBLEM THRUST UPON HIS NOTICE BY THE SALOON HOW MUCH HAD BEEN DONE FOR THE RECTANGLE AFTER ALL


EVEN COUNTING VIRGINIA'S AND RACHEL'S WORK AND MISTER GRAY'S WHERE HAD IT ACTUALLY COUNTED IN ANY VISIBLE QUANTITY


OF COURSE HE SAID TO HIMSELF THE REDEMPTIVE WORK BEGUN AND CARRIED ON BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN HIS WONDERFUL DISPLAYS OF POWER IN THE FIRST CHURCH AND IN THE TENT MEETINGS HAD HAD ITS EFFECT UPON THE LIFE OF RAYMOND


BUT AS HE WALKED PAST SALOON AFTER SALOON AND NOTED THE CROWDS GOING IN AND COMING OUT OF THEM AS HE SAW THE WRETCHED DENS AS MANY AS EVER APPARENTLY


HE SICKENED AT THE SIGHT HE FOUND HIMSELF ASKING HOW MUCH CLEANSING COULD A MILLION DOLLARS POURED INTO THIS CESSPOOL ACCOMPLISH


WAS NOT THE LIVING SOURCE OF NEARLY ALL THE HUMAN MISERY THEY SOUGHT TO RELIEVE UNTOUCHED AS LONG AS THE SALOONS DID THEIR DEADLY BUT LEGITIMATE WORK


WAS IT NOT A PRACTICAL WASTE OF BEAUTIFUL LIVES FOR THESE YOUNG WOMEN TO THROW THEMSELVES INTO THIS EARTHLY HELL WHEN FOR EVERY SOUL RESCUED BY THEIR SACRIFICE THE SALOON MADE TWO MORE THAT NEEDED RESCUE HE COULD NOT ESCAPE THE QUESTION


IT WAS THE SAME THAT VIRGINIA HAD PUT TO RACHEL IN HER STATEMENT THAT IN HER OPINION NOTHING REALLY PERMANENT WOULD EVER BE DONE UNTIL THE SALOON WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE RECTANGLE


HENRY MAXWELL WENT BACK TO HIS PARISH WORK THAT AFTERNOON WITH ADDED CONVICTIONS ON THE LICENSE BUSINESS BUT IF THE SALOON WAS A FACTOR IN THE PROBLEM OF THE LIFE OF RAYMOND NO LESS WAS THE FIRST CHURCH AND ITS LITTLE COMPANY OF DISCIPLES WHO HAD PLEDGED TO DO AS JESUS WOULD DO


HENRY MAXWELL STANDING AT THE VERY CENTRE OF THE MOVEMENT WAS NOT IN A POSITION TO JUDGE OF ITS POWER AS SOME ONE FROM THE OUTSIDE MIGHT HAVE DONE BUT RAYMOND ITSELF FELT THE TOUCH IN VERY MANY WAYS NOT KNOWING ALL THE REASONS FOR THE CHANGE


THE WINTER WAS GONE AND THE YEAR WAS ENDED THE YEAR WHICH HENRY MAXWELL HAD FIXED AS THE TIME DURING WHICH THE PLEDGE SHOULD BE KEPT TO DO AS JESUS WOULD DO SUNDAY THE ANNIVERSARY OF THAT ONE A YEAR AGO WAS IN MANY WAYS THE MOST REMARKABLE DAY THAT THE FIRST CHURCH EVER KNEW


FRANK HOSKINS ELBOW WOUND HEALED QUICKLY WITHOUT ANY SERIOUS RESULTS AND TOM RAWLE WHO HAD BEEN UNDER TREATMENT AT THE FIELD HOSPITAL WAS ABLE TO GET ABOUT THE CAMP


BUT ON THE EIGHTH DAY A VERITABLE FURY LAUNCHED ITSELF UPON THAT SECTION OF THE AMERICAN FRENCH FRONT IN THE SHAPE OF SEEMINGLY ENDLESS BRIGADES OF BOCHES THAT WERE HURLED OVER THE TOP OF THEIR OWN BREASTWORKS ACROSS NO MAN'S LAND AND UPON THE FIRST LINE TRENCHES OF THE ALLIES


FOR SEVERAL DAYS THE AMERICAN AND FRENCH AVIATORS HAD BEEN REPORTING HEAVY GERMAN FORMATIONS IN THAT REGION EVIDENTLY WITH THE DESIGN OF A TERRIFIC ASSAULT BUT THE ALLIED COMMANDERS HAD NOT EXPECTED IT SO SOON AND IN TRUTH THEY WERE NOT FULLY PREPARED FOR IT


IT WAS A SURPRISE ATTACK IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD WITH ALL THE TERRIBLE CARNAGE THAT SUCH A BATTLE BRINGS


AND THEIR HIDDEN ARTILLERY TO THE REAR OF THEM THIS WAS KEPT UP FOR ABOUT SEVEN HOURS AND THE DUEL OF HEAVY GUNS SHOOK THE EARTH LIKE A QUAKE AND WAS DEAFENING THEN JUST AS DAWN WAS BREAKING THE INFANTRY ONSLAUGHT


INCLUDING FOOD AND AMMUNITION TRAINS


EVERYTHING MOVED LIKE CLOCKWORK AND WITH THE GREATEST POSSIBLE SPEED AND THROUGHOUT IT ALL MEN ON BOTH SIDES WERE SHOOTING SHOUTING SHRIEKING


OR LIFELESS BEFORE SUPERIOR NUMBERS


A STATIONARY BALLOON SHOWED WHERE JERRY AND AN OBSERVATION OFFICER WERE DOING DUTY ON THAT FATEFUL DAY JERRY WAS OPERATING A TELEPHONE THAT RAN DIRECTLY TO DIVISION HEADQUARTERS AND HARDLY A MOMENT PASSED WHEN HE WAS NOT REPEATING SOME OBSERVATION OF THE OTHER MAN IN THE BASKET WITH HIM


EVERY DETAIL OF THAT TREMENDOUS BATTLE JERRY KNEW HIS OWN OCCASIONAL GLIMPSES OVER THE SIDE INFORMED HIM OF THE TEMPORARY REVERSES HIS OWN ARMY WAS SUFFERING WHILE THE REMARKS OF THE OFFICER TOLD HIM WHERE THE GERMANS WERE MEETING THEIR BITTEREST REPULSES


WHERE THEY WERE DRAWING UP THEIR HEAVIEST FORCES OF RESERVES WHAT QUICK CHANGES WERE BEING MADE IN THEIR GENERAL LINE OF FORMATION AND HOW FAR BACK THEIR FORCES SEEMED TO EXTEND SLIM GOODWIN


TO MAKE SURE THAT THUS FAR HIS FRIEND WAS STILL SAFE


THE WAVERING SWAYING TARGET WAS WATCHED FROM TIME TO TIME AND SPECULATIONS MADE AS TO HOW LONG IT COULD REMAIN WITHOUT BEING PUNCTURED BY A BULLET


IT WAS NOW WELL INTO THE AFTERNOON THE GERMANS HAD SWEPT INTO THE PLACES VACATED BY THE AMERICANS AND FRENCH AND STILL THE BATTLE RAGED IT WAS NOW THAT SLIM BEGAN TO WAIT ANXIOUSLY FOR THE NEW DEVELOPMENT


THE AMERICANS AND FRENCH HAD RETREATED TO A GENERAL LINE WHICH PERMITTED A QUICK RE MOBILIZATION TO THE BEST ADVANTAGE THERE THEIR FRONT LINE RANKS HELD FIRM WHILE THE NEW FORMATION WAS BEING EFFECTED BEHIND THEM IT WAS ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON WHEN THIS WAS COMPLETE


AND SOON IN GREAT MEASURE AT LEAST HOSTILITIES WOULD BE SUSPENDED FOR THE NIGHT THEIR WORK COMPLETED


SO YOU CAN JUDGE PRETTY WELL FOR YOURSELF GUESS HE HAD A PRETTY GOOD BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF THE WHOLE THING SAID JOE AS THEY PASSED ON TO MEET AGAIN BEFORE MESS EXCEPT FOR SPASMODIC OUTBURSTS HERE AND THERE THE TRENCH DUEL HAD ALMOST ENTIRELY SUBSIDED


AND THE HEAVY ROAR OF THE ARTILLERY ALSO WAS PUNCTUATED WITH LONGER PAUSES


WHILE EACH SIDE TOOK ACCOUNT OF STOCK AND MADE NECESSARY REPAIRS OR ALTERED THEIR PLANS TO MEET THE NEW SITUATION OUR YOUNG FRIENDS WERE BUSY WITH WASH BASIN SOAP AND WATER


TAKING OFF THE GRIME IN PREPARATION FOR THE EVENING MEAL AND WONDERING WHERE JERRY WAS KEEPING HIMSELF ALL THE WHILE WHEN SUDDENLY A VERY STRANGE THING HAPPENED BEYOND THE ENEMY'S LINE


MORE EASILY HANDLED AEROPLANES AND USED IN GREAT NUMBERS BY THE GERMANS SHOT INTO THE AIR AT GREAT SPEED FROM BEHIND THE BOCHE ENTRENCHMENTS


IT SIMPLY INDICATED THAT THOSE MANNING THE AMERICAN AND FRENCH ANTI AIRCRAFT GUNS


AND EVEN THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED A WELL DESIGNED HOAX


STILL GOING AT MAXIMUM SPEED AND NOW ON A STRAIGHT LINE TOWARD THE AMERICAN SIDE WITHOUT SEEKING A FURTHER HEIGHT THE TAUBE SEVERAL TIMES WAVERED AND A MOMENT LATER ALMOST TURNED OVER BUT THE PILOT RIGHTED HER


HE POINTED HER NOSE DOWNWARD TOWARD THE AMERICAN LINES FOUR AMERICAN PLANES SAILED OFF AND UPWARD TO MEET THE ONCOMING GERMAN AIR ARMADA BUT FROM THE GROUND IT COULD BE SEEN THAT THE MAN IN THE OBSERVER'S PLACE IN THE TAUBE WAS MAKING DESPERATE SIGNALS


THE AMERICAN PLANES MANEUVERED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO ENCIRCLE THE TAUBE


AND THE OTHER GERMAN PLANES TURNED BACK TOWARD THEIR OWN LINES THE TAUBE CONTINUED ON ITS WAVERING CRIPPLED DOWNWARD COURSE TOWARD THE ALLIED LINES


AS THE TAUBE CAME WITHIN A HUNDRED YARDS OF THE GROUND AND RIGHTED HERSELF FOR A LANDING


OF ITS OWN MOMENTUM IT ROLLED TO WITHIN A TWO MINUTES RUN OF WHERE THE LIEUTENANT AND THE OTHERS HAD BEEN STANDING IN ANOTHER INSTANT IT WAS ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY A CROWD OF CURIOUS AMERICAN SOLDIERS


AND AFTER DESCENDING A LITTLE BY PERMITTING SOME OF THE GAS TO ESCAPE WE JUMPED OVER THE SIDE OF THE BASKET AND CAME DOWN ON OUR PARACHUTES


BUT SOME OTHER GERMAN AVIATORS SAW THE AFFAIR APPARENTLY RECOGNIZED OUR UNIFORMS AND HARDLY GAVE US TIME TO MAKE A DECENT START SAY JERRY CONCLUDED THEY CERTAINLY DID PEBBLE US WITH MACHINE GUN BULLETS


OPENING THEM THE BOYS COULD HARDLY SUPPRESS THEIR JUBILATION STRIPPED OF THEIR OFFICIAL VERBIAGE THE LETTERS INFORMED THE YOUNG MEN THAT EACH OF THEM WAS MADE A CORPORAL JOE FOR VALOROUS SERVICE IN SAVING THE LIVES OF THREE AMERICANS ENTOMBED IN A CAVE


CHAPTER EIGHT THE DEATH OF THE SPY


THE YOUNG LIEUTENANT IT SEEMED HAD BEEN FOLLOWING A TRAIL WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS LEADING HIM CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE OBJECT OF THE HUNT AND IT WAS IN FORGING THE LINKS OF THIS CHAIN OF CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE THAT THE YOUNG OFFICER WAS LED INTO THE LOWER DEPTHS OF THE SHIP


PRESUMABLY FROM THE ENGINE OR BOILER ROOM THROW ASIDE SOMETHING AS HE HURRIED ALONG THE PASSAGEWAY LEADING FROM THE WIRELESS ROOM


AND YOU STOOPED TO PICK UP WHATEVER IT WAS THAT HAD BEEN THROWN AWAY


EVIDENTLY ALSO FROM THE BOILER OR ENGINE ROOM BRUSHED BY US HE HAD DISAPPEARED WHEN THE SAILOR SAID TO ME I THINK THAT WAS THE FELLOW THE ONE THAT JUST WENT BY NOT WANTING TO AROUSE HIS SUSPICIONS I ENDED THE CONVERSATION WITH A CASUAL REMARK AND THEN STROLLED AWAY UNTIL I WAS OUT OF THE SAILOR'S SIGHT


I WAS GROPING MY WAY ALONG WHEN I THOUGHT I HEARD STEPS JUST AHEAD OF ME I STOPPED TO LISTEN AND WHEN THE SOUND WAS NOT REPEATED I PROCEEDED ONWARD


BEFORE I COULD UTTER A WORD I WAS A PRISONER BEHIND A LOCKED DOOR I CALLED SEVERAL TIMES AND


EVERY MOMENT IT BECAME MORE STIFLING IN THERE AND I HAD NO DOUBT THAT I HAD WALKED DIRECTLY INTO A DEATH TRAP IT WAS THEN I BEGAN SIGNALING ON THE STEAM PIPE I GUESS IT WAS A MIGHTY LUCKY THING FOR ME THAT SLIM GOODWIN STROLLED OUT ON DECK JUST AT THE TIME HE DID


AND THAT WAS ALL THAT LIEUTENANT MACKINSON COULD TELL THE MYSTERIOUS STRANGER REMAINED WHAT HE HAD BEEN FROM THE FIRST A DESPERATE AND DANGEROUS AND UNKNOWN SPY


PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER TO DEVISE A SCHEME OF CAPTURE WE'VE GOT MORE THAN ONE GOOD REASON FOR WANTING TO GET THIS FELLOW SLIM REMINDED THE OTHERS WITH CONSIDERABLE WARMTH


TO WHICH HE IS AN ENEMY AND A TRAITOR BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT THERE IS THAT KNOCKOUT THAT HE HANDED TO JOE AND THE MIDNIGHT SCARE HE GAVE JERRY AND ME AND FINALLY HIS EFFORT TO KILL LIEUTENANT MACKINSON BY SLOW SUFFOCATION


WELL SAID JOE I THINK I'VE GOT A PLAN THAT WILL WORK BUT


WELL WHAT'S YOUR SUGGESTION SLIM DEMANDED THAT WE DIVIDE OUR FORCES ANSWERED JOE SOLEMNLY LIE IN WAIT AND TRY TO AMBUSH THE FOE RIGHT CRIED JERRY JOE YOU'LL BE A GENERAL BEFORE THIS WAR'S OVER


ALONG WHAT LINES DO WE DISPERSE OUR FORCES GENERAL ASKED SLIM ALONG WHAT LINES WOULD HIS ROYAL STOUTNESS SUGGEST DEMANDED JERRY OH YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP REMINDING ME THAT I'M A TRIFLE HEAVY SLIM REPLIED IN A PEEVISH TONE


A TRIFLE HEAVY GET THAT WILL YOU ECHOED JERRY WITH A GALE OF LAUGHTER A TRIFLE HEAVY OH MY YOU'LL FIND OUT IF I SIT ON YOU SLIM THREATENED IN A BELLIGERENT TONE


WON'T DO IT SLIM MUTTERED OH YES YOU WILL COUNSELED JOE SHAKE HANDS THE TWO OF YOU SLIM'S GOOD NATURE OVERCAME HIS FEIGNED RELUCTANCE BUT AS JERRY GRASPED HIS HAND HE GAVE JERRY A JERK THAT NEARLY TOOK HIM OFF HIS FEET NOW WE'RE SQUARE SAID SLIM


AND TO DO THAT HE WILL HAVE TO USE THE WIRELESS SOMEHOW IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT HE WOULD MAKE HIS EFFORT AT NIGHT


THE LIEUTENANT COULD BE IN THE WIRELESS ROOM AND ONE OF US IN THE BATTERY ROOM WHILE THE OTHER TWO DID DUTY OUTSIDE


IT WOULD BE TIRESOME AND MONOTONOUS WORK ALL RIGHT


I'M WILLING SAID JERRY BUT YOU AND I WILL HAVE TO DO THE OUTSIDE WORK


WELL I'LL COVER THE BATTERY ROOM SAID SLIM IGNORING JERRY'S REMARK LET'S SEE LIEUTENANT MACKINSON THEN SUGGESTED JOE AND THEY WENT TO FIND THE YOUNG OFFICER WHO WAS CONVALESCING FROM HIS ENCOUNTER WITH THE SPY WHEN HE HAD APPROVED THE PLAN THEY GOT THE O K OF THE CAPTAIN


TO THE THREE BOYS UNABLE TO SEE OR TALK TO EACH OTHER AND JOE AND JERRY SCARCELY DARING TO MOVE THE MINUTES LAGGED LIKE HOURS


BLACK ENDLESS NIGHTS DAWN CAME


THERE WERE MUTUAL FEELINGS OF DISAPPOINTMENT BUT NONE OF WEAKENED DETERMINATION WHAT LUCK


I WILL ARRANGE FOR ANOTHER MAN TO STAY IN THE WIRELESS ROOM DURING TO DAY


THE SEA IS CALM AND WE READILY COULD DISCERN A PERISCOPE A LONG DISTANCE AWAY TRULY IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT AND IT WAS IN THIS ALLURING QUIET OF SEEMINGLY ABSOLUTE PEACE


THE BRIGHTON BOYS AND THEIR FRIEND AND SUPERIOR OFFICER THE LIEUTENANT HAD BEEN IN THEIR APPOINTED PLACES HARDLY MORE THAN AN HOUR WHEN JOE AND JERRY AT THE SAME INSTANT CAUGHT THE SOUNDS OF SOME SORT OF SCUFFLE ON THE DECK ABOVE


IT CAME NEARER AND CLEARER UNTIL FINALLY AS IT REACHED A POINT NEAR TO THE TOP OF THE STAIRWAY UNDER WHICH JOE WAS CONCEALED THE LATTER COULD DISCERN THE FOG HORN VOICE OF THE FIRST ASSISTANT ENGINEER


THE FIRST ASSISTANT ENGINEER WAS A MIGHTY MOUNTAIN OF A MAN BUT HIS VOICE BROKE OFF AS THE COMMOTION STARTED AGAIN CERTAINLY HE MUST HAVE A ROUGH CUSTOMER TO DEAL WITH THOUGHT JERRY


YE WILL WILL YE HISSED THE VOICE OF THE ENGINEER AGAIN


YE DIRTY HOUND I'VE A MIND TO BOOT YE INTO THE SEA


AND WHIN I ASKED HIM WHAT HE WAS ABOUT


SO SAID THE CAPTAIN IN A VOICE SO STERN IT MADE JOE WINCE


HE'S A THIRD CLASS MACHINIST SIR THE ENGINEER REPLIED


YES AND I BELIEVE HE'S WORSE THAN THAT THE CAPTAIN ADDED


THERE WAS A STRAINED SILENCE FOR A MOMENT THEN


IT LOOKS AS THOUGH WE'D CAUGHT THE MAN THE DOCTOR WHISPERED


THERE WAS A GASP OF ASTONISHMENT FROM JOE FOLLOWED BY A LOUDER HOLY SMOKE FROM SLIM DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS MAN THE CAPTAIN ASKED IN A SHARP TONE I SHOULD SAY I DO SIR JOE RESPONDED


HE IS THE MAN WHO WAS PLANTING AMMUNITION IN THE WATERS NEAR THE NAVY YARD THAT NIGHT BEFORE WE SAILED THE VERY SAME ONE SIR SLIM EXCLAIMED WITH EQUAL POSITIVENESS THE SHIP'S SURGEON WHO HAD FOLLOWED THE OTHERS UPON DECK STEPPED CLOSER FOR A BETTER INSPECTION OF THIS ENEMY


AT THE SAME INSTANT THE PRISONER


AND THRUST THE ENGINEER FROM HIM BEFORE ANYONE COULD INTERFERE HE WAS DASHING DOWN THE DECK TOWARD THE STERN JUST AS HE TOOK A WILD HEADLONG LEAP OVER THE RAIL THE CAPTAIN FIRED WHILE THE CAPTAIN THROUGH A SPEAKING TUBE WAS INSTRUCTING THE MAN IN THE PILOT HOUSE TO SIGNAL BELOW REVERSE ENGINES


THE OTHERS RUSHED TO THE STERN OF THE SHIP FAR BEHIND THEM IN THE FOAMY TRAIL LEFT ON THE MOONLIT WATER BY THE VESSEL THEY SAW WHAT SEEMED TO BE THE HEAD OF A MAN BOBBING UP AND DOWN AND THEN IT ENTIRELY DISAPPEARED THE SHIP WAS TURNED


GONE SAID THE CAPTAIN IN TONES OF VERY EVIDENT RELIEF WELL IT WAS DEATH FOR HIM ONE WAY OR ANOTHER AND HE TOOK HIS CHOICE AS THE CAPTAIN AND SURGEON MOVED AWAY FROM THE STERN RAIL OF THE EVERETT


AND MADE ME RUN A MILE IN NOTHING FLAT ADDED JERRY AND FOUGHT ME TO A KNOCKOUT FINISH LATER MUSED JOE AND NEARLY SMOTHERED ME TO DEATH SPOKE THE LIEUTENANT AND WAS FINALLY CORRALLED BY AN IRISH ENGINEER SAID SLIM GONE CONCLUDED JERRY


CHAPTER SEVEN THE TIMELY RESCUE IT WAS NO PLEASANT THOUGHT TO CONTEMPLATE THE PRESENCE OF A BOLD


THAT HE WAS CAPABLE OF GOING ANY LENGTHS IF NECESSARY ALREADY HAD BEEN PROVED AND THE EVIDENCE OF HIS EVIL GENIUS MIGHT COME IN HORRIBLE FORM AT ANY INSTANT NEVERTHELESS


WAS SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT JERRY AND SLIM FROM TAKING A FULL EIGHT HOURS OF MUCH NEEDED SLEEP WHILE LIEUTENANT MACKINSON JOE AND THREE OTHER OFFICERS WHOM THE CAPTAIN HAD TAKEN INTO HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE MATTER FOLLOWED OUT EVERY POSSIBLE CLUE IN PURSUIT OF A SOLUTION OF THE BAFFLING MYSTERY


IT WAS A CASE OF WATCH EVERYBODY TAKE EVERY PRECAUTION AND BE PREPARED FOR ANYTHING ONLY NINE MEN ON THE VESSEL HOWEVER INCLUDING THE SPY HIMSELF KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT IT


REFRESHED BY THEIR SLEEP JERRY AND SLIM AROSE ABOUT FOUR O'CLOCK THAT AFTERNOON JOE WHO HAD RESTED EASILY THROUGHOUT THE LATER EXCITEMENT OF THE PRECEDING NIGHT WAS STILL IN THE MIDST OF THE INVESTIGATION AND WAS NOT THEN TO BE FOUND


JERRY HAD SOME LETTERS TO WRITE SO SLIM WENT TO THE UPPER DECK ALONE


AND HIS MIND WEIGHTED ANYWAY WITH THE MENACING MYSTERY OF THE STRANGE HAPPENINGS OF THE NIGHT BEFORE HE SAT DOWN ON A COIL OF ROPE JUST IN THE LEE OF THE FORWARD SMOKESTACK TO THINK THE WHOLE MATTER OVER FOR THE TWENTIETH TIME HE WAS THUS ABSORBED WHEN SOMETHING AT FIRST VAGUE AND INDEFINITE THEN CLEARER


LIKE THE AWAKENING CALL THAT COMES TO A MAN IN A SOUND SLEEP


TO FIND SOMEONE STANDING DIRECTLY OVER HIM LOUDLY AND INSISTENTLY CALLING HIS NAME


A CRACKLING MERELY FROM THE PRESSURE WITHIN FOR A MOMENT SLIM THOUGHT AN OVER WROUGHT IMAGINATION WAS PLAYING TRICKS UPON HIM BUT HE ROSE HASTILY AND CROSSED THE SHORT INTERVENING DISTANCE


WAS RAPPING DESPERATELY UPON THAT PIPE AND IN THE LONG AND SHORT DASHES OF THE INTERNATIONAL CODE THAT SOMEONE WAS REPEATING A SINGLE WORD HELP HELP HELP IN ANOTHER INSTANT USING THE HEAVY END OF HIS JACKKNIFE AS A CRUDE TRANSMITTER SLIM WAS TAPPING OFF THE REPLY


WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE LIEUTENANT MACKINSON THE MESSAGE BEGAN TO COME BACK


CAN'T MAKE SELF HEARD CAN YOU HELP THIS IS SLIM THE YOUTH RAPPED BACK UPON THE PIPE CAUGHT YOUR MESSAGE ON DECK AM COMING WITH HELP AT ONCE AND HE DASHED DOWN THE DECK TOWARD THE CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS ALMOST BOWLING OVER THE CAPTAIN'S AIDE AS HE HURTLED INTO THE SANCTUM OF THE SHIP'S COMMANDER UNANNOUNCED


WELL THE CAPTAIN DEMANDED STERNLY WHY ALL THE HASTE LIEUTENANT MACKINSON SLIM BLURTED OUT HE'S LOCKED IN A CLOSET DOWN NEAR THE ENGINE ROOM LOCKED IN A CLOSET THE CAPTAIN REPEATED INCREDULOUSLY HOW DO YOU KNOW


HE GAVE A TELEGRAPHIC CALL FOR HELP ON THE STEAM PIPE WHICH RUNS THROUGH THERE AND CONNECTS WITH THE WHISTLE THE LAD EXPLAINED I WAS ON DECK AND HEARD IT I TALKED WITH HIM OVER THE PIPE THERE IS NO TIME TO LOSE THEN COME WITH ME AND THE CAPTAIN HIMSELF HURRIEDLY LED THE WAY DOWN THROUGH THE LOWER DEPTHS OF THE SHIP


FOR A FEW STEPS THEY FELT THEIR WAY ALONG AND THEN STOPPED TO LISTEN THERE WAS NOTHING BUT THE DULL AND CONSTANT HUM OF THE ENGINES AND THE ALMOST INSUFFERABLE HEAT


THEY STOOD SILENT A MOMENT AND THEN FAINT AND INDISTINCT APPARENTLY FROM SOMEWHERE SEVERAL FEET AHEAD OF THEM THEY BOTH HEARD REPEATED THAT WHICH HAD MADE SLIM STOP


THE LAD REPEATED THEM FOR THE INFORMATION OF THE CAPTAIN


M O T H E R I N G


AND HE STARTED DOWN THE PASSAGEWAY TOWARD A NARROW STAIRS LEADING TO A STILL LOWER CHAMBER IN THE VESSEL THREE TURNS TWO TO THE RIGHT AND ONE TO THE LEFT AND THE CAPTAIN STOPPED AGAIN TO LISTEN SEEMINGLY FROM WITHIN THE WALL RIGHT AT THEIR ELBOWS THERE CAME A FEEBLE KNOCK


THE OFFICER WHIPPED OUT A POCKET FLASHLIGHT THEY WERE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF A HEAVY WOODEN DOOR IT WAS LOCKED


AND SLIM HASTENED AWAY TO RETURN TWO MINUTES LATER WITH ALL THREE TOOLS


BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM WITHIN


TWO MORE ATTEMPTS AND THE PANEL FELL IN STRIPS TO THE FLOOR THUS GIVEN SOMETHING FOR A GRIP HOLD THE CAPTAIN WHO WAS A MASSIVE MAN TOOK HOLD WITH BOTH HANDS


BROUGHT THE ENTIRE DOOR FROM ITS HINGES


THE UNCONSCIOUS FORM OF LIEUTENANT MACKINSON TUMBLED OUT UPON THE FLOOR HIS FACE WAS ALMOST BLUE FROM SUFFOCATION THE CAPTAIN SOUNDED THREE SHORT SHARP BLASTS UPON A WHISTLE WHICH HE HAD TAKEN FROM HIS POCKET AND TWO OILERS CAME RUNNING TO THE SPOT


HELP US CARRY THIS MAN TO FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY HE ORDERED HE HAS BEEN OVERCOME


HE HAD RELAPSED AGAIN AND THERE WAS ANOTHER WAIT OF SEVERAL MINUTES BUT THIS TIME THE LIEUTENANT'S MIND WAS CLEARING SOMEBODY SHOVED ME IN THAT CLOSET HE GASPED AND THEN SLAMMED AND LOCKED THE DOOR HE RECOGNIZED THE CAPTAIN AND THE DOCTOR


FOUND HIM LOCKED IN A SMALL COMPARTMENT DOWN NEAR THE AUXILIARY ENGINE ROOM THE COMMANDER SAID BRIEFLY


HE MADE HIS WHEREABOUTS KNOWN BY TAPPING A MESSAGE ON A STEAM PIPE


NEARLY SUFFOCATED TOO


HIS HEART ACTION IS PRETTY WEAK EVEN YET


AT THAT MOMENT JERRY CAME HURRYING DOWN THE DECK HE WAS VISIBLY EXCITED BUT


AND SO EVEN AS TWO MEN CARRIED LIEUTENANT MACKINSON AWAY HE REMAINED STANDING AT SALUTE WAITING FOR THE CAPTAIN TO RECOGNIZE HIM WITH A RETURN OF THE SALUTE AND NOW WHAT ASKED THE CAPTAIN JERRY STEPPED FORWARD WITH DIFFICULTY REPRESSING HIS EXCITEMENT


WHEN I RETURNED I FOUND THIS LYING UPON THE TABLE HE OPENED HIS LEFT HAND IN IT LAY A PIECE OF LIGHT CHAIN BOTH ENDS BROKEN BESIDE IT HE CONTINUED WAS THIS NOTE FROM HIS POCKET HE EXTRACTED A PIECE OF PAPER THE EDGES OF WHICH WERE ROUGHLY TORN


LET THIS BE A WARNING THAT NO FURTHER INTERFERENCE WILL BE OF AVAIL THE CAPTAIN LOOKED FROM THE NOTE TO THE CHAIN


AND NO SIGNATURE I BELIEVE SIR SAID JERRY


THE SENIOR OFFICER OF THE VESSEL TOOK FROM HIS POCKET THE CROSS WITH ITS TWO BITS OF CHAIN STILL DANGLING FROM IT HE PLACED THE ENDS TO THE CHAIN WHICH JERRY HAD FOUND IN THE WIRELESS ROOM YOU ARE RIGHT HE SAID SIMPLY AND THERE COULD BE NO DOUBT ABOUT IT


APPEARED EQUALLY ANXIOUS A MAN IS DISCOVERED AT NIGHT IN THE BATTERY ROOM OF THE WIRELESS DEPARTMENT OF THIS SHIP CLEARLY UPON AN UNFRIENDLY MISSION SAID THE CAPTAIN HALF TO HIMSELF AND HALF FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE OTHERS SUMMING UP THE EVIDENCE THUS FAR KNOWN TO THEM


A FEW HOURS LATER THAT SAME NIGHT HE RETURNS TO THE BATTERY ROOM AND SUCCEEDS IN RECOVERING THE PORTABLE INSTRUMENT TO DAY LIEUTENANT MACKINSON WHILE PURSUING AN INVESTIGATION OF THE AFFAIR


IS SHOVED INTO A CLOSET AND ONLY ESCAPES DEATH FROM SUFFOCATION BY MAKING HIMSELF HEARD AS HE TELEGRAPHS FOR HELP OVER A STEAM PIPE IT MUST HAVE BEEN WHILE WE WERE RESCUING THE LIEUTENANT THAT THE SAME MAN AGAIN ENTERS THE WIRELESS ROOM AND LEAVES THERE THIS CHAIN


WE ARE NOT SAFE WHILE HE IS FREE


THE FOLLOWING MORNING ALL OF THOSE WHO HAD ARRIVED ON THE TRANSPORTS WERE ESTABLISHED IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP BUT IT WAS MERELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF INSPECTION OF MEN AND EQUIPMENT AND WAS NOT TO BE FOR LONG


IT WAS THAT SAME DAY THAT THE THREE BOYS FROM BRIGHTON WERE FOR THE FIRST TIME ASSIGNED TO A REGULAR UNIT OF THE SIGNAL CORPS ALSO WITH A REAL THRILL THEY LEARNED THAT THEY WERE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY TO SEE WAR SERVICE FOR AMERICAN TROOPS WERE ALREADY IN THE TRENCHES


HIS THREE ASSISTANTS ON THE TRIP ACROSS WERE THE FIRST ONES NAMED THE OTHER TWO WERE TOM RAWLE A FELLOW PROPORTIONED LIKE THEIR FIRST FRIEND IN THE SERVICE SERGEANT MARTIN AND A WIRY ENERGETIC QUICK SPEAKING YOUTH NAMED FRANK HOSKINS


WE HAVE A LONG TRIP BEFORE US LIEUTENANT MACKINSON INFORMED THEM AND WE LEAVE HERE ON A SPECIAL TRAIN IN TWO HOURS IN A SHORT TIME WE WILL BE IN THE THICK OF IT


KNOWING THEY HAVE IMPORTANT WORK TO DO AND FEELING CAPABLE OF DOING IT WELL


GOT HERE TWO WEEKS AGO THE BIG FELLOW ANSWERED


DID YOU GET WITHIN SOUND OF THE BIG GUNS ASKED SLIM EXCITEDLY I SHOULD SAY SO ANSWERED TOM RAWLE AND SO WILL YOU WITHIN A FEW HOURS ISN'T THAT SO HOSKINS YES ANSWERED FRANK


HOSKINS KNOWS EXPLAINED RAWLE FOR HE GOT NEARER THAN I DID ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME FRANK CORRECTED MODESTLY BUT THEY CALLED IT MY BAPTISM OF FIRE I WAS OUT ONE NIGHT WITH AN ADVANCE PARTY WE WERE NEARLY AMBUSHED AND HAD TO BEAT A QUICK RETREAT


WELL TELL THEM ALL ABOUT IT DEMANDED TOM RAWLE IMPATIENT AT FRANK'S UNWILLINGNESS TO TALK MUCH ABOUT HIMSELF


AND IT WAS A SURPRISE PARTY FOR FAIR I CAN TELL YOU


THEN WE ALL DROPPED ON OUR STOMACHS AND WRIGGLED OUR WAY BACK INTO OUR OWN LINES WITHOUT ANY FURTHER DAMAGE BUT WE DID SOME RAPID WRIGGLING YOU CAN BET THERE WASN'T ANY TIME WASTED BY ANY OF US AND INASMUCH AS WE WERE APPARENTLY OUTNUMBERED


SAY THAT MUST BE THRILLING TO BE A MEMBER OF AN ADVANCE PARTY LIKE THAT SAID JERRY HIS ENTHUSIASM AS FIERY AS HIS HAIR I WONDER IF WE'LL GET ANY WORK LIKE THAT YOU SURE WILL RESPONDED RAWLE AND PLENTY OF IT YOU NEEDN'T WORRY ON THAT SCORE


ALL READY THEY ANSWERED AND THE LIEUTENANT LED THE WAY TO THE TRAIN


ALSO THERE WAS A WIRE COMPANY OF THE SIGNAL CORPS WHICH WAS GOING TO JOIN ANOTHER AMERICAN UNIT FOR THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR HOURS OF THE TRIP THE LADS


AND FROM THEM THEY HEARD MANY SERIOUS AND AMUSING STORIES MANY TRUE TALES OF THE ATTACK AND RETREAT OF SHOT AND SHELL AND SHRAPNEL AND THE HAND GRENADE AND THE POISONOUS GAS BOMBS THROWN BY THE BOCHES AND THEN ONE BY ONE THE SOLDIERS OF UNCLE SAM DROPPED OFF INTO LONG


AND RESTFUL SLUMBER SLUMBER THAT WAS TO FIT THEM FOR HARD AND DIFFICULT DUTIES AHEAD THIS IS WHERE WE GET OFF FINALLY ANNOUNCED LIEUTENANT MACKINSON SHAKING THE LADS INTO WAKEFULNESS


WITHOUT THE WASTE OF A MOMENT THEY CLIMBED IN LIEUTENANT MACKINSON OUR THREE FRIENDS YOUNG HOSKINS AND THE TOWERING RAWLE IN ANOTHER INSTANT THEY WERE SPEEDING ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH THE BREAK OF DAWN


WHERE IN THAT COUNTRY THEY HAD SEEN BIG CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND


IN THE EASTERN PART OF FRANCE THEY CAME UPON ACTUAL WAR IN ALL ITS FATEFUL PROGRESS WITH WHOLE TOWNS DEMOLISHED FORESTS AND ORCHARDS BLOTTED OUT STARK RUIN WRITTEN OVER THE FACE OF THE EARTH


LONG STRINGS OF POWERFUL MOTOR TRUCKS DRIVING TOWARD THE SCENE OF ACTION THEY CAME UPON TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN THAT AREA KNOWN AS BEHIND THE LINES WHERE FRENCH AMERICAN BELGIAN AND BRITISH SOLDIERS WERE RECUPERATING AFTER HARD DAYS AND NIGHTS IN THE FRONT LINE TRENCHES


BY THIS TIME THEY WERE WELL WITHIN SOUND OF THE HEAVY GUNS AND THEIR DRIVER TOLD THEM THAT THE ARTILLERY DUEL THEN GOING ON HAD BEEN IN PROGRESS FOR FORTY EIGHT HOURS AT LEAST


IN PREPARATION FOR A GREAT INFANTRY ADVANCE BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS TIME THEY EXPECT TO GO FORWARD BEFORE THE END OF TO DAY WHICH MEANS ADDED LIEUTENANT MACKINSON


ON AND ON THEY WENT AND NEARER AND NEARER TO THE SCENE OF ACTUAL BATTLE THEY CAME THEY PASSED THE THIRD LINE TRENCHES AND NOW IN PLACES THEY SEEMED TO BE IN A STRAIGHT LINE WITH SOME OF THE CONCEALED ARTILLERY


THAT WAS POUNDING AWAY AT THE ENEMY IN TERRIBLE DETONATIONS THAT SHOOK AND ROCKED THE GROUND EVERY MINUTE AT THE SECOND LINE TRENCHES THEIR ORDERS CALLED FOR A HALT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO BE TOLD THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING DOING


WAS A CONSTANTLY MOVING LINE OF MOTOR TRUCKS COMING FORWARD WITH MEN AND SHELLS WHILE OUT AHEAD OF THEM TREMENDOUS AND MENACING BIG TANKS


WERE PURSUING THEIR UNEVEN COURSE TOWARD THE FRONT IN PREPARATION FOR A NEW KIND OF ASSAULT THEY LOOK LIKE MINIATURE BATTLESHIPS ON LAND DON'T THEY EXCLAIMED SLIM


EQUIPPED WITH GUNS AND MEN THAT COULD TRAVEL WITH THEIR OWN POWER PRACTICALLY ANYWHERE ACROSS SHELL HOLES OVER TRENCHES THROUGH BARBED WIRE


AWAIT ME HERE HE SAID TO THE FIVE MEN UNDER HIS IMMEDIATE COMMAND


AND THE LATTER IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A QUICK EXAMINATION OF HIS ENGINE AND TIRES WHICH PROMISED ANOTHER EARLY MOVE WE GO FORWARD AS FAR AS WE CAN BY AUTOMOBILE AGAIN THE LIEUTENANT INFORMED THEM


AND AFTER DARK TO NIGHT WE ARE TO ESTABLISH AN OUTLYING COMMUNICATION FROM THE FARTHEST SKIRMISH POINTS TO HEADQUARTERS ALMOST AS HE FINISHED THE SENTENCE THEY WERE STARTED


JOE REMARKED UPON IT IN TONES OF OPEN ADMIRATION IT'S NOTHING THE YOUTHFUL CHAUFFEUR REPLIED YOU'LL GET USED TO IT TOO AS HE TURNED THE AUTOMOBILE AND STARTED BACKWARD SLIM SUDDENLY REMEMBERED THAT THEY HADN'T EVEN HEARD HIS NAME DON'T KNOW IT SAID HOSKINS


THEY HAD BEEN DIRECTED TO THE QUARTERS OF MAJOR JONES IN CHARGE OF THE SIGNAL CORPS MEN IN THAT SECTION AND IT WAS WITH CONSIDERABLE SURPRISE THAT THE BOYS LEARNED UPON ARRIVING THERE THAT THEY WERE TO ACCOMPANY THE LIEUTENANT INTO THE SUPERIOR OFFICER'S PRESENCE FOR INSTRUCTIONS


HE WAS A MAN THEY FOUND ABOUT FORTY YEARS OLD ALREADY GRIZZLED AND HARDENED BY HIS FIELD EXPERIENCE AND HE KNEW HOW TO CONVEY ORDERS AND TRANSACT BUSINESS WITHOUT A MOMENT'S DELAY YOU ARE TO FOLLOW THE RED INK LINES ON THIS MAP HE TOLD LIEUTENANT MACKINSON


AS THEY ALL LEANED OVER HIS DESK TO FOLLOW THE TRACING OF HIS PENCIL WITH WHICH HE SHOWED THEM THE COURSE THEY WERE TO TAKE


YOU WILL SEEK A SUITABLE LOCATION FROM WHICH TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS YOU WILL DETERMINE WHETHER IT CAN BE DONE BY WIRELESS AS SOON AS YOU CAN DO SO REPORT WHAT PROGRESS YOU HAVE MADE USE EVERY CAUTION FOR YOU WILL BE IN THE COUNTRY OCCUPIED BY THE ENEMY


YOU SHOULD LEAVE HERE ABOUT SEVEN O'CLOCK THIS EVENING IT IS NOW SIX FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER THEY HAD EXAMINED THEIR ARMS AND EQUIPPED THEMSELVES WITH A FULL SUPPLY OF SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION PORTABLE WIRELESS INSTRUMENT AND ANTENNAE AND THREE RATIONS EACH OF EATING CHOCOLATE


AND IF WOUNDED MIGHT OTHERWISE STARVE TO DEATH


AND PROMPTLY AT SEVEN O'CLOCK THEY STARTED UPON THE DANGEROUS MISSION WITH NIGHTFALL THE BIG CANNONADING HAD NOTICEABLY SHUT DOWN


IT WAS A BLACK NIGHT AND THEY PROCEEDED WITH THE GREATEST CAUTION THEY DID NOT DARE USE THE FLASHLIGHTS THAT EACH OF THEM CARRIED AND FREQUENTLY ALL OF THEM WOULD HAVE TO DROP SUDDENLY FLAT UPON THE GROUND AS A BIG ROCKET WENT UP FROM EITHER SIDE


IN THIS WAY THEY WENT FORWARD YARD BY YARD UNTIL THEY REACHED A THICK CLUMP OF TREES THERE AFTER LISTENING INTENTLY FOR SEVERAL MINUTES WITHOUT HEARING A DANGEROUS SOUND THEY SPREAD OUT THEIR COATS TENT LIKE WHILE LIEUTENANT MACKINSON WITH GINGERLY FLASHES OF HIS LIGHT


EXAMINED THE MAP AGAIN TO MAKE CERTAIN OF THEIR LOCATION


WHILE TOM RAWLE QUIETLY CHUCKLING AT THE FAT LAD'S MISFORTUNE AIDED HIM TO HIS FEET DOWN FLAT SAID MACKINSON AGAIN AS HE DISCERNED SEVERAL SHADOWS MOVING ACROSS A SPACE A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE TO THE NORTH OF THEM


FOR FULLY TEN MINUTES WHICH SEEMED LIKE AN HOUR THEY LAY THERE NOT DARING TO MOVE THEY WATCHED THE ENEMY SCOUTING PARTY GET A LIKE SCARE AND THEN AFTER WHAT SEEMED TO BE A WHISPERED CONSULTATION TURN BACK TO THE GERMAN LINES


WHAT DID YOU FALL OVER THE LIEUTENANT FINALLY ASKED OF SLIM IN A SCARCELY AUDIBLE TONE I JUST FOUND IT REPLIED SLIM


COPPER EXCLAIMED THE LIEUTENANT HOSKINS LET ME HAVE THAT KIT


A VERY SMALL TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT THE INSTANT IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE WIRE THE RECEIVER BEGAN TO TICK IRREGULARLY NEITHER RAWLE NOR HOSKINS UNDERSTOOD GERMAN BUT TO THE OTHERS THEY WERE WORDS EASY TO TRANSLATE THEY HAD ACCIDENTALLY STRUCK AN ENEMY WIRE AND HAD TAPPED IT


LEAD ENEMY TO BELIEVE WHOLE ATTACK CENTERED FROM YOUR POSITION


THE SLEEPERS OPEN THEIR EYES AND RAISE THEMSELVES ON THEIR ELBOWS THEN THE SHEPHERD HEARS A WARNING VOICE WHICH COMES AND GOES LIKE THE WIND SAYING IF THE HORN IS BLOWN ONCE AGAIN THE WORLD WILL BE UPSET ALTOGETHER


TERRIFIED BY THE VOICE AND THE FEROCIOUS APPEARANCE OF THE HEROES THE SHEPHERD RETREATS HURRIEDLY LOCKING THE DOOR BEHIND HIM


SHALMANESER SHAMASH ADAD ASHUR DAN


THE SYRO CAPPADOCIAN HITTITES HAD GROWN ONCE AGAIN POWERFUL AND PROSPEROUS BUT NO GREAT LEADER LIKE SUBBILULIUMA AROSE TO WELD THE VARIOUS STATES INTO AN EMPIRE


SO AS TO ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF THE MINGLED PEOPLES FROM THE OPERATIONS OF THE AGGRESSIVE AND AMBITIOUS WAR LORDS OF ASSYRIA ONE KINGDOM HAD ITS CAPITAL AT HAMATH AND ANOTHER AT CARCHEMISH ON THE EUPHRATES THE KINGDOM OF TABAL FLOURISHED IN CILICIA KHILAKKU


IT INCLUDED SEVERAL CITY STATES LIKE TARSUS TIANA AND COMANA KAMMANU FARTHER WEST WAS THE DOMINION OF THE THRACO PHRYGIAN MUSKI THE TRIBES ROUND THE SHORES OF LAKE VAN


HAD ASSERTED THEMSELVES AND EXTENDED THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE THE STATE OF URARTU WAS OF GROWING IMPORTANCE AND THE NAIRI TRIBES HAD SPREAD ROUND THE SOUTH EASTERN SHORES OF LAKE VAN


THE NORTHERN FRONTIER OF ASSYRIA WAS CONTINUALLY MENACED BY GROUPS OF INDEPENDENT HILL STATES WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN IRRESISTIBLE HAD THEY OPERATED TOGETHER AGAINST A COMMON ENEMY BUT WERE LIABLE TO BE EXTINGUISHED WHEN ATTACKED IN DETAIL


A NUMBER OF ARAMAEAN KINGDOMS HAD COME INTO EXISTENCE IN MESOPOTAMIA AND THROUGHOUT SYRIA


WHEN ASHUR NATSIR PAL THE THIRD


GROUPS OF THE ARAMAEANS HAD ACQUIRED A HIGH DEGREE OF CULTURE AND BECOME TRADERS AND ARTISANS


ACCUSTOMED FOR GENERATIONS TO DESERT WARFARE THEY WERE FEARLESS WARRIORS THEIR ARMIES HAD GREAT MOBILITY BEING COMPOSED MOSTLY OF MOUNTED INFANTRY AND WERE NOT EASILY OVERPOWERED BY THE ASSYRIAN FORCES OF FOOTMEN


THE FORMER HAD RAIDED NORTH SYRIA AND APPARENTLY PENETRATED AS FAR AS THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST IN CONSEQUENCE HE CAME INTO CONFLICT WITH BABYLONIA BUT HE ULTIMATELY FORMED AN ALLIANCE WITH THAT KINGDOM HIS SON TUKULTI NINIP


OPERATED IN SOUTHERN MESOPOTAMIA


IN THE NORTH HE HAD TO DRIVE BACK INVADING BANDS OF THE MUSKI


A SURE INDICATION THAT ASSYRIA WAS ONCE AGAIN BECOMING POWERFUL IN NORTHERN MESOPOTAMIA AND THE REGIONS TOWARDS ARMENIA ASHUR NATSIR PAL THE THIRD


INAUGURATED A VERITABLE REIGN OF TERROR IN MESOPOTAMIA AND NORTHERN SYRIA HIS METHODS OF DEALING WITH REVOLTING TRIBES WERE OF A MOST SAVAGE CHARACTER CHIEFS WERE SKINNED ALIVE AND WHEN HE SACKED THEIR CITIES


NOT ONLY FIGHTING MEN BUT WOMEN AND CHILDREN WERE EITHER SLAUGHTERED OR BURNED AT THE STAKE IT IS NOT SURPRISING TO FIND THEREFORE THAT ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION THE KINGS OF PETTY STATES MADE SUBMISSION TO HIM WITHOUT RESISTANCE AS SOON AS HE INVADED THEIR DOMAINS


IN HIS FIRST YEAR HE OVERRAN THE MOUNTAINOUS DISTRICT BETWEEN LAKE VAN AND THE UPPER SOURCES OF THE TIGRIS BUBU THE REBEL SON OF THE GOVERNOR OF NISHTUN WHO HAD BEEN TAKEN PRISONER WAS TRANSPORTED TO ARBELA WHERE HE WAS SKINNED ALIVE