ail."

"There's logic," answered the doctor, taking a long breath,--"there's
logic. So I am delighted, enchanted! For a long time I've been waiting
for something of this sort to turn up, and I've been wanting to try a
voyage of this sort. Now, with you--"

"Excuse me--" said Shandon.

"With you," continued Clawbonny, paying him no attention, "we are sure
of going far without turning round."

"But--" began Shandon.

"For you have shown what stuff you are made of, and I know all you've
done. Ah, you are a good sailor!"

"If you please--"

"No, I sha'n't let your courage and skill be doubted for a moment,
even by yourself. The captain who chose you for mate is a man who knew
what he was about; I can tell you that."

"But that is not the question," said Shandon, impatiently.

"What is it, then? Don't keep me anxious any longer."

"But you won't let me say a word. Tell me, Doctor, if you please, how
you came to join this expedition of the _Forward_?"

"By a letter, a capital letter; here it is,--the letter of a brave
captain, very short, but very full."

With these words he handed Shandon a letter running as follows:--

INVERNESS, January 22, 1860.

_To_ DR. CLAWBONNY, _Liverpool_.

If Dr. Clawbonny wishes to sail on the _Forward_ for a long voyage, he
can present himself to the mate, Richard Shandon, who has been advised
concerning him.

K. Z.,
_Captain of the Forward_.

"The letter reached me this morning, and I'm now ready to go on board
of the _Forward_."

"But," continued Shandon, "I suppose you know whither we are bound."

"Not the least idea in the world; but what difference does it make,
provided I go somewhere? They say I'm a learned man; they are wrong; I
don't know anything, and if I have published some books which have had
a good sale, I was wrong; it was very kind of the public to buy them!
I don't know anything, I tell you, except that I am very ignorant. Now
I have a chance offered me to complete, or, rather, to make over my
knowledge of medicine, surgery, history, geography, botany,
mineralogy, conchology, geodesy, chemistry, physics, mechanics,
hydrography; well, I accept it, and I assure you, I didn't have to be
asked twice."

"Then," said Shandon in a tone of disappointment, "you don't know
where the _Forward_ is going."

"O, but I do, commander; it's going where there is something to be
learned, discovered; where one can instruct himself, make comparisons,
see other custo