"He is--yes," replied the boy, "but----"

"Oh, you need not hesitate to talk to me," replied the stranger, "I am
Dr. McGuire, the prison surgeon, and I take a professional interest in
his case. The man is stupefied with opium or some drug that seems to
have numbed his senses."

"Do you think it was self-administered?" asked the boy.

"Oh, undoubtedly. Those fellows go on regular opium debauches
sometimes. In this case perhaps it is very fortunate for some one that
he was imprudent enough to take such heavy doses of the drug that the
policeman picked him up, for a lot of papers were found on him. They
are meaningless to me, but perhaps you can throw some light on them."

"The papers, we believe, are the property of Captain Hazzard, the head
of the government's South Polar expedition," exclaimed Frank, whose
suspicions had rapidly become convictions at the sight of the Jap. "We
have no right to examine into their contents, but I suppose there
would be no harm in our looking at them to make sure. I can then
notify the Captain."

"You are friends of his?"

"We are attached to the expedition," replied Frank, "but I must ask
you not to mention it, as I do not know but we are breaking our
promise of secrecy even in such an important matter as this."

"You can depend that I shall not violate your confidence," promised
Dr. McGuire.