"Here is our landing," said the girl quite cheerfully. "And none too
soon! I suppose you haven't noticed it, but the 'Tillicum' is
leaking like a sieve!"




CHAPTER II

Salt in the air and the breath of pine and cedar are excellent sleep
inducers. Professor Spence had not expected to sleep that night; yet
he did sleep. He awoke to find the sun high. A great beam of it lay
across the foot of his camp cot, bringing comforting warmth to the
toes which protruded from the shelter of abbreviated blankets. The
professor wiggled his toes cautiously. He was accustomed to doing
this before making more radical movements. They were a valuable
index to the state of the sciatic nerve. This morning they wiggled
somewhat stiffly and there were also various twinges. But
considering the trying experiences of yesterday it was surprising
that they could wiggle at all. He lifted himself slowly--and sank
back with a relieved sigh. It would have been embarrassing, he
thought, had he not been able to get up.

All men have their secret fears and Professor Spence's secret fear
was embodied in a story which his friend and medical adviser
(otherwise "Old Bones") had seen fit to cite as a horrible example.
It concerned a man who had sciatica and who didn't take proper care
of him-self. One day this man went for a walk and fell suddenly upon
the pavement unable to move or even to explain matters
satisfactorily to a heartless policeman who insisted that he was