In case you should not, however, I had made up my mind to go alone. But
you provoked me more than you knew, probably, at the club, and after we
had entered the car, and, being myself hot-tempered, I determined to
teach you a lesson. I have no intention, however, of abducting you. It is
true that you are in my power at present, but if you now say that you do
not wish to be concerned in what I assure you will prove the most
wonderful enterprise ever undertaken by human beings, I will go back to
the shed and let you out."

We looked at one another, in doubt what to reply until Jack, who, with
all his impulsiveness had more of the milk of human kindness in his heart
than anyone else I ever knew, seized Edmund's hand and exclaimed:

"All right, old boy, bygones are bygones; I'm with you. Now what do you
fellows say?"

"I'm with you, too," I cried, yielding to the spur of Jack's enthusiasm
and moved also by an intense curiosity. "I say go ahead."

Henry was more backward. But his curiosity, too, was aroused, and at
length he gave in his voice with the others.

Jack swung his hat.

"Three cheers, then, for the modern Archimedes! You won't take that amiss
now Edmund."

We gave the cheers, and I could see that Edmund was immensely pleased.

"And now," Jack continued, "tell us all about it. Where are we going?"