CHAPTER XI "For once I was the Hero"

venturetotrustwemaynot,"Iobserved. TheProfessoronlyraisedhisgreateyebrows,astheschoolmastermeetstheirrelevantobservationofthenaughtyboy. "PerhapsProfessorSummerleemayhaveanobservationtomake,"hesaid,andthetwosavantsascendedtogetherintosomerarefiedscientificatmosphere,wherethepossibilitiesofamodificationofthebirth-ratewereweighedagainstthedeclineofthefoodsupplyasacheckinthestruggleforexistence. Thatmorningwemappedoutasmallportionoftheplateau,avoidingtheswampofthepterodactyls,andkeepingtotheeastofourbrookinsteadoftothewest.Inthatdirectionthecountrywasstillthicklywooded,withsomuchundergrowththatourprogresswasveryslow. IhavedweltuptonowupontheterrorsofMapleWhiteLandbuttherewasanothersidetothesubject,forallthatmorningwewanderedamonglovelyflowers—mostly,asIobserved,whiteoryellowincolor,thesebeing,asourprofessorsexplained,theprimitiveflower-shades.Inmanyplacesthegroundwasabsolutelycoveredwiththem,andaswewalkedankle-deeponthatwonderfulyieldingcarpet,thescentwasalmostintoxicatinginitssweetnessandintensity.ThehomelyEnglishbeebuzzedeverywherearoundus.Manyofthetreesunderwhichwepassedhadtheirbranchesboweddownwithfruit,someofwhichwereoffamiliarsorts,whileothervarietieswerenew.Byobservingwhichofthemwerepeckedbythebirdsweavoidedalldangerofpoisonandaddedadeliciousvarietytoourfoodreserve.Inthejunglewhichwetraversedwerenumeroushard-troddenpathsmadebythewildbeasts,andinthemoremarshyplaceswesawaprofusionofstrangefootmarks,includingmanyoftheiguanodon.Onceinagroveweobservedseveralofthesegreatcreaturesgrazing,andLordJohn,withhisglass,wasabletoreportthattheyalsowerespottedwithasphalt,thoughinadifferentplacetotheonewhichwehadexaminedinthemorning.Whatthisphenomenonmeantwecouldnotimagine. Wesawmanysmallanimals,suchasporcupines,ascalyant-eater,andawildpig,piebaldincolorandwithlongcurvedtusks.Once,throughabreakinthetrees,wesawaclearshoulderofgreenhillsomedistanceaway,andacrossthisalargedun-coloredanimalwastravelingataconsiderablepace.Itpassedsoswiftlythatwewereunabletosaywhatitwasbutifitwereadeer,aswasclaimedbyLordJohn,itmusthavebeenaslargeasthosemonstrousIrishelkwhicharestilldugupfromtimetotimeinthebogsofmynativeland. Eversincethemysteriousvisitwhichhadbeenpaidtoourcampwealwaysreturnedtoitwithsomemisgivings.However,onthisoccasionwefoundeverythinginorder. Thateveningwehadagranddiscussionuponourpresentsituationandfutureplans,whichImustdescribeatsomelength,asitledtoanewdeparturebywhichwewereenabledtogainamorecompleteknowledgeofMapleWhiteLandthanmighthavecomeinmanyweeksofexploring.ItwasSummerleewhoopenedthedebate.Alldayhehadbeenquerulousinmanner,andnowsomeremarkofLordJohn'sastowhatweshoulddoonthemorrowbroughtallhisbitternesstoahead. "Whatweoughttobedoingto-day,to-morrow,andallthetime,"saidhe,"isfindingsomewayoutofthetrapintowhichwehavefallen.Youareallturningyourbrainstowardsgettingintothiscountry.Isaythatweshouldbescheminghowtogetoutofit." "Iamsurprised,sir,"boomedChallenger,strokinghismajesticbeard,"thatanymanofscienceshouldcommithimselftosoignobleasentiment.Youareinalandwhichofferssuchaninducementtotheambitiousnaturalistasnoneeverhassincetheworldbegan,andyousuggestleavingitbeforewehaveacquiredmorethanthemostsuperficialknowledgeofitorofitscontents.Iexpectedbetterthingsofyou,ProfessorSummerlee." "Youmustremember,"saidSummerlee,sourly,"thatIhavealargeclassinLondonwhoareatpresentatthemercyofanextremelyinefficientlocumtenens.Thismakesmysituationdifferentfromyours,ProfessorChallenger,since,sofarasIknow,youhaveneverbeenentrustedwithanyresponsibleeducationalwork." "Quiteso,"saidChallenger."Ihavefeltittobeasacrilegetodivertabrainwhichiscapableofthehighestoriginalresearchtoanylesserobject.ThatiswhyIhavesternlysetmyfaceagainstanyprofferedscholasticappointment." "Forexample?"askedSummerlee,withasneerbutLordJohnhastenedtochangetheconversation. "Imustsay,"saidhe,"thatIthinkitwouldbeamightypoorthingtogobacktoLondonbeforeIknowagreatdealmoreofthisplacethanIdoatpresent." "IcouldneverdaretowalkintothebackofficeofmypaperandfaceoldMcArdle,"saidI.(Youwillexcusethefranknessofthisreport,willyounot,sir?)"He'dneverforgivemeforleavingsuchunexhaustedcopybehindme.Besides,sofarasIcanseeitisnotworthdiscussing,sincewecan'tgetdown,evenifwewanted." "Ouryoungfriendmakesupformanyobviousmentallacunaebysomemeasureofprimitivecommonsense,"remarkedChallenger."Theinterestsofhisdeplorableprofessionareimmaterialtousbut,asheobserves,wecannotgetdowninanycase,soitisawasteofenergytodiscussit." "Itisawasteofenergytodoanythingelse,"growledSummerleefrombehindhispipe."Letmeremindyouthatwecamehereuponaperfectlydefinitemission,entrustedtousatthemeetingoftheZoologicalInstituteinLondon.ThatmissionwastotestthetruthofProfessorChallenger'sstatements.Thosestatements,asIamboundtoadmit,wearenowinapositiontoendorse.Ourostensibleworkisthereforedone.Astothedetailwhichremainstobeworkedoutuponthisplateau,itissoenormousthatonlyalargeexpedition,withaveryspecialequipment,couldhopetocopewithit.Shouldweattempttodosoourselves,theonlypossibleresultmustbethatweshallneverreturnwiththeimportantcontributiontosciencewhichwehavealreadygained.ProfessorChallengerhasdevisedmeansforgettingusontoth