CHAPTER VII "To-morrow we Disappear into the Unknown"

brokenbyadiscordantburstofderisivelaughterfromProfessorSummerlee. "Itisanopenadmission,"hecried."Whatmoredoyouwant?Thefellowisaself-confessedhumbug.Wehaveonlytoreturnhomeandreporthimasthebrazenimposterthatheis." "Invisibleink!"Isuggested. "Idon'tthink!"saidLordRoxton,holdingthepapertothelight."No,youngfellahmylad,thereisnousedeceivingyourself.I'llgobailforitthatnothinghaseverbeenwrittenuponthispaper." "MayIcomein?"boomedavoicefromtheveranda. Theshadowofasquatfigurehadstolenacrossthepatchofsunlight.Thatvoice!Thatmonstrousbreadthofshoulder!WesprangtoourfeetwithagaspofastonishmentasChallenger,inaround,boyishstraw-hatwithacoloredribbon—Challenger,withhishandsinhisjacket-pocketsandhiscanvasshoesdaintilypointingashewalked—appearedintheopenspacebeforeus.Hethrewbackhishead,andtherehestoodinthegoldenglowwithallhisoldAssyrianluxurianceofbeard,allhisnativeinsolenceofdroopingeyelidsandintoleranteyes. "Ifear,"saidhe,takingouthiswatch,"thatIamafewminutestoolate.WhenIgaveyouthisenvelopeImustconfessthatIhadneverintendedthatyoushouldopenit,forithadbeenmyfixedintentiontobewithyoubeforethehour.Theunfortunatedelaycanbeapportionedbetweenablunderingpilotandanintrusivesandbank.Ifearthatithasgivenmycolleague,ProfessorSummerlee,occasiontoblaspheme." "Iamboundtosay,sir,"saidLordJohn,withsomesternnessofvoice,"thatyourturningupisaconsiderablerelieftous,forourmissionseemedtohavecometoaprematureend.EvennowIcan'tforthelifeofmeunderstandwhyyoushouldhaveworkeditinsoextraordinaryamanner." Insteadofanswering,ProfessorChallengerentered,shookhandswithmyselfandLordJohn,bowedwithponderousinsolencetoProfessorSummerlee,andsankbackintoabasket-chair,whichcreakedandswayedbeneathhisweight. "Isallreadyforyourjourney?"heasked. "Wecanstartto-morrow." "Thensoyoushall.Youneednochartofdirectionsnow,sinceyouwillhavetheinestimableadvantageofmyownguidance.FromthefirstIhaddeterminedthatIwouldmyselfpresideoveryourinvestigation.Themostelaboratechartswould,asyouwillreadilyadmit,beapoorsubstituteformyownintelligenceandadvice.AstothesmallrusewhichIplayeduponyouinthematteroftheenvelope,itisclearthat,hadItoldyouallmyintentions,Ishouldhavebeenforcedtoresistunwelcomepressuretotraveloutwithyou." "Notfromme,sir!"exclaimedProfessorSummerlee,heartily."SolongastherewasanothershipupontheAtlantic." Challengerwavedhimawaywithhisgreathairyhand. "Yourcommonsensewill,Iamsure,sustainmyobjectionandrealizethatitwasbetterthatIshoulddirectmyownmovementsandappearonlyattheexactmomentwhenmypresencewasneeded.Thatmomenthasnowarrived.Youareinsafehands.Youwillnotnowfailtoreachyourdestination.FromhenceforthItakecommandofthisexpedition,andImustaskyoutocompleteyourpreparationsto-night,sothatwemaybeabletomakeanearlystartinthemorning.Mytimeisofvalue,andthesamethingmaybesaid,nodoubt,inalesserdegreeofyourown.Ipropose,therefore,thatwepushonasrapidlyaspossible,untilIhavedemonstratedwhatyouhavecometosee." LordJohnRoxtonhascharteredalargesteamlaunch,theEsmeralda,whichwastocarryusuptheriver.Sofarasclimategoes,itwasimmaterialwhattimewechoseforourexpedition,asthetemperaturerangesfromseventy-fivetoninetydegreesbothsummerandwinter,withnoappreciabledifferenceinheat.Inmoisture,however,itisotherwisefromDecembertoMayistheperiodoftherains,