on my
deeper knowledge, that much reading had perhaps assented to, but that
had never yet come within actual range of my senses.

He was up in a flash, and out. He was trembling, and very white. We
searched hurriedly, feverishly, but found only the traces of paw-marks
passing from the door of his own tent across the moss to the women's.
And the sight of the tracks about Mrs. Maloney's tent, where Joan now
slept, set him in a perfect fury.

"Do you know what it is, Hubbard, this beast?" he hissed under his
breath at me; "it's a damned wolf, that's what it is--a wolf lost among
the islands, and starving to death--desperate. So help me God, I believe
it's that!"

He talked a lot of rubbish in his excitement. He declared he would
sleep by day and sit up every night until he killed it. Again his rage
touched my admiration; but I got him away before he made enough noise to
wake the whole Camp.

"I have a better plan than that," I said, watching his face closely. "I
don't think this is anything we can deal with. I'm going to send for the
only man I know who can help. We'll go to Waxholm this very morning and
get a telegram through."

Sangree stared at me with a curious expression as the fury died out of
his face and a new look of alarm took its place.

"John Silence," I said, "will know--"

"You think it's something--of that sort?" he stammered.

"I am sure of it."

There was a moment's pause. "That's worse, far worse than anything
material," he said, turning visibly paler. He looked from my face to the
sky, and then added with sudden resolution, "Come; the wind's rising.
Let's get off at once. From there you can telephone to Stockholm and get
a telegram sent without delay."

I sent him down to get the boat ready, and seized the opportunity myself
to run and wake Maloney. He was sleeping very lightly, and sprang up the
moment I put my head inside his tent. I told him briefly what I had
seen, and he showed so little surprise that I caught myself wondering
for the first time whether he himself had seen more going on than he had
deemed wise to communicate to the rest of us.

He agreed to my plan without a moment's hesitation, and my last words to
him were to let his wife and daughter think that the great psychic
doctor was coming merely as a chance visitor, and not with any
professional interest.

So, with frying-pan, provisions, and blankets aboard, Sangree and I
sailed out of the lagoon fifteen minutes later, an