"Captain, you said a while ago that everything is matter, force, and spirit. Do you place force as something intermediate between God and matter?"
"Certainly, sir; force is above matter, and mind is above force."
"I have heard that force is similar to matter in that nothing of it can be lost," said I.
"When and where did you hear that?" asked the Captain, looking at me fixedly, almost sternly.
The question almost brought me to my feet. When and where had I heard it? My attention had been so fastened on the Captain's philosophy that it now seemed to me that I had become unguarded, and that from outside of me a thought had been sent into my mind by some unknown power; I could not know whence the thought had come. I had suddenly felt that I had heard the theory in question. I knew that, the moment before, I could not have said what I did. But I had spoken naturally, and without feeling that I was undergoing an experience. I stared back at Captain Haskell. Then I became aware of the fact that at the moment when I had spoken I had known consciously when it was and where it was that I had heard the theory, and I felt almost sure that if I had spoken differently, if I had only said, "From Mr. Such-a-one, or at such a place or time, I had heard the theory," I should now have a clew to something. But the flash had vanished.
"It is lost," I said.
"I am sorry," said he.
"It is like the J.B. on the broken gun," said I.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I did not finish, telling you of my experience at that spot where I got water last Friday. Right in that spot was a broken gun with J.B. on the stock."