Captain Gay had resumed his writing, but said, lightly, as if the matter was too preposterous to be treated seriously:
“Is it likely, sir?”
But already the Major’s mind had turned to a more important subject.
“I’ve come for that little memorandum, sir.”
“What memorandum?” asked the Captain, quietly.
“The location of the island.”
“Oh; I can’t give it to you,” said the other. “When you left this room yesterday the draft from the open door caught the paper I had made my figures on, and carried it out of the window. So the record is lost.”
“Leave this room, sir!”
“Lost!” The Major stared at him in amazement.