Dr. Yool puffed contemplatively, and looked at him through the smoke.
"That's the problem of Carne," he said slowly at last--"the insoluble problem."
"What's the problem? And why insoluble?"
"One of them is heir to Caine; the other is baseborn. No man on earth knows which is which."
"Any woman?"
"Ah--there you have it! Can you make a woman speak against her will--and her interest?" he added, as a hopeful look shot through Eager's eyes.
"It's a strong combination against one. All the same, there is no reason why those boys should grow up naked of mind as well as of body. They are surely close in age? They're as like as two peas--splendid little savages, both."
"There may be a week between them, not more." He puffed thoughtfully for several minutes again, and then said slowly: "If you can clothe them, body and mind, it will be a good work and a tough one. It's virgin soil and a big handful, and one of them's got a place in the world. I'll tell you the story for your guidance. I can trust it in your keeping. The old man would curse me, no doubt, but his time is past and the boys' is only coming. They are of more consequence."
And bit by bit he told him what he knew of the strange happenings which had led to the problem of Carne.
Eager followed him with keen interest.