The Doctor looked at him. "The letter requests me to do that," he said.
"But I say, the formulas——" persisted the Very Young Man, looking wildly at the burning papers.
The Doctor held up one of the white tin boxes lying on the arm of his chair.
"In these tins," he said, "I have vials containing the specified quantity of each drug. It is ample for our purpose. I have done my best to memorize the formulas. But in any event, I was directed to burn them at the time of reading you the letter. I have done so."
The Big Business Man came out of a brown study.
"Just three weeks from to-night," he murmured, "three weeks from to-night. It's too big to realize."
The Doctor put the two boxes on the table, turned his chair back toward the others, and lighted a cigar.
"Gentlemen, let us go over this matter thoroughly," he began. "We have a momentous decision to make. Either we destroy those boxes and their contents, or three weeks from to-night some or all of us start our journey into the ring. I have had a month to think this matter over; I have made my decision.
"I know there is much for you to consider, before you can each of you choose your course of action. It is not my desire or intention to influence you one way or the other. But we can, if you wish, discuss the matter here to-night; or we can wait, if you prefer, until each of you has had time to think it out for himself."
"I'm going," the Very Young Man burst out.