Night began to settle down and a little wind began to blow.
“Storm coming!” said some.
“It’ll blow the fog away,” cried others.
And then, when it was about midnight, word was passed around that there was no immediate danger, and that the soldiers might leave their boat stations. But they were told to hold themselves in readiness for another call.
The leak had been partly stopped, it was said, and the engine room force was again at work trying to get up steam, if only to operate the wireless.
“Let us hope that they do,” said Dr. Hallet, who sought out Ned. “Though I would have been able to save most of my notes, there were some that I should have been forced to leave behind. And I’m glad I can come back to my field mouse,” he added, as he looked in the box in his cabin containing the tiny creature, which was alive.
“If you care to,” said Ned, “I should like to have you go on with the explanation you started when the explosion came.” He was beginning to have a different feeling toward his companion. Dr. Hallet was so much like Professor Snodgrass, that, at times, Ned had to stop and think before using the latter’s name and title.
“Yes, I should like to explain,” said the scientist. “I begin to understand how you mistrusted me, and, as you will see, it is without cause. I may sum it all up in a few words by saying that Professor Snodgrass and I, though scientific rivals, are good friends; and the only thing between us is a sort of race to see who will be the first to discover a certain disputed matter in relation to the germ destroying powers of certain fungi which we gathered in a French forest. I thought at one time that I had the professor beaten, and I managed to secure passage on this transport, thinking to be the first to reach the United States and give to the world my wonderful discovery.
“But I learned that Professor Snodgrass had likewise discovered the secret, and was also on board here. It became a race between us, and I had to take precautions—or at least I thought I did—to prevent him from finding out certain minor details. That is why I had my cabin guarded and——”
“Hark!” interrupted Ned, and his feeling of resentment against his companion was fast vanishing.