"I protest I desire to be your friend - to serve you. Now, listen."
Instinctively his voice grew lower. "This slavery in which you find
yourself must be singularly irksome to a man of parts such as
yourself."

"What intuitions!" cried sardonic Mr. Blood. But the doctor took
him literally.

"I am no fool, my dear doctor. I know a man when I see one, and
often I can tell his thoughts."

"If you can tell me mine, you'll persuade me of it," said
Mr. Blood.

Dr. Whacker drew still closer to him as they stepped along the wharf.
He lowered his voice to a still more confidential tone. His hard
blue eyes peered up into the swart, sardonic face of his companion,
who was a head taller than himself.

"How often have I not seen you staring out over the sea, your soul
in your eyes! Don't I know what you are thinking? If you could
escape from this hell of slavery, you could exercise the profession
of which you are an ornament as a free man with pleasure and profit
to yourself. The world is large. There are many nations besides
England where a man of your parts would be warmly welcomed. There
are many colonies besides these English ones." Lower still came
the voice until it was no more than a whisper. Yet there was no
one within earshot. "It is none so far now to the Dutch settlement
of Curacao. At this time of the year the voyage may safely be
undertaken in a light craft. And Curacao need be no more than a