CURTIS--[With a laugh.] The man is mad, Martha.

BIGELOW--Mad! What an accusation to come from one who is even now
considering setting forth on a five-year excavating contest in
search of the remains of our gibbering ancestor, the First Man!

CURTIS--[With sudden seriousness.] I'm not considering it any
longer. I've decided to go.

MARTHA--[Starting--the hurt showing in her voice.] When did you
decide?

CURTIS--I only really came to a decision this morning. [With a
seriousness that forces BIGELOW'S interested attention.] It's a
case of got to go. It's a tremendous opportunity that it would be
a crime for me to neglect.

BIGELOW--And a big honor, too, isn't it, to be picked as a member
of such a large affair?

CURTIS--[With a smile.] I guess it's just that they want all the
men with considerable practical experience they can get. There are
bound to be hardships and they know I'm hardened to them. [Turning
to his wife with an affectionate smile.] We haven't roughed it in
the queer corners for the last ten years without knowing how it's
done, have we, Martha?

MARTHA--[Dully.] No, Curt.