e. Can you leave to-night?"

The old gentleman was certainly prompt. I nodded, half-sulkily, aware
of his amusement.

"So," I said, picking up my hat, "I am to start north to find a place
called Black Harbor, where there is a man named Halyard who possesses,
among other household utensils, two extinct great auks--"

We were both laughing by this time. I asked him why on earth he
credited the assertion of a man he had never before heard of.

"I suppose," he replied, with the same half-apologetic, half-humorous
smile, "it is instinct. I feel, somehow, that this man Halyard _has_
got an auk--perhaps two. I can't get away from the idea that we are on
the eve of acquiring the rarest of living creatures. It's odd for a
scientist to talk as I do; doubtless you're shocked--admit it, now!"

But I was not shocked; on the contrary, I was conscious that the same
strange hope that Professor Farrago cherished was beginning, in spite
of me, to stir my pulses, too.

"If he has--" I began, then stopped.

The professor and I looked hard at each other in silence.

"Go on," he said, encouragingly.

But I had nothing more to say, for the prospect of beholding with my
own eyes a living specimen of the great auk produced a series of
conflicting emotions within me which rendered speech profanely
superfluous.

As I took my leave Professor Farrago came to the door of the
temporary, wooden office and handed me the letter written by the man
Halyard. I folded it and put it into my pocket, as Halyard might
require it for my own identification.

"How much does he want for the pair?" I asked.

"Ten thousand dollars. Don't demur--if the birds are really--"

"I know," I said, hastily, not daring to hope too much.

"One thing more," said Professor Farrago, gravely; "you know, in that
last paragraph of his letter, Halyard speaks of something else in the
way of specimens--an undiscovered species of amphibious biped--just
read that paragraph again, will you?"

I drew the letter from my pocket and read as he directed:

"When you have seen the two living specimens of the great auk,
and have satisfied yourself that I tell the truth, you may be
wise enough to listen without prejudice to a statement I shall
make concerning the existence of the strangest creature ever
fashioned. I will merely say, at this time, that the creature
referred to is an amphibious biped and inhabits the ocean near
this coast. More I cannot