“Ah! Professor Snodgrass! He--he is impossible! A mere dabbler! A charlatan!” cried the other, with something of his former manner. “I alone hold the secret! I shall give it to the world! Now that he is gone, I can work freely and openly. I will redouble my efforts! I will beat him!” His voice was triumphant.
“Yes, beat him, coward, now that he’s gone!” cried Ned. “I don’t want to have anything to do with you! I’m going to tell----”
Ned swung aside and was going to turn back to avoid what he thought was a lunge on the part of the strange man, a lunge that, the lad thought, meant danger, when he collided with some one hurrying along the passage.
There were many mutual grunts, for the impact had not been a gentle one, and, half dazed, Ned looked up to observe Captain Munson.
“What is the trouble?” asked the captain, and he smiled at Ned and the little man--smiled in such a way as to convince the Motor Boy that either there was nothing wrong, or else that the captain himself was deceived as to the character of his passenger.
“There is no trouble at all, Captain,” replied the pepper-pot. “Now that my rival has gone, I----”
“You mean Professor Snodgrass,” the captain said. “Yes, unfortunately he is gone. We hope he and the others may have saved themselves, and perhaps have floated off on some bit of wreckage our boats did not observe, but it hardly seems possible. I suppose you do not need a guard any longer?” he smilingly asked of the little man.
“No, thank you, my secret is in no further danger of being taken away by an unscrupulous charlatan!” was the emphatic answer.
And Ned, puzzled, observed with amazement Captain Munson deliberately winking at him the eye that was concealed from the pepper-pot.
“Captain Munson!” exclaimed Ned, “this--this man is trying to----”
“I can now tell everything!” he said eagerly. “Please let me explain to him, Captain. I was taking him to my cabin to let him understand the whole situation, when he broke away from me and----”
“If you wish to listen to Dr. Hallet’s story I am sure you would find it interesting, to say the least,” broke in the commander. “Of course don’t go with him if you don’t want to, but in view of what has taken place perhaps it will be best to let him tell his side of it. If you wish any further light you may come to me. I will give orders to have the marines withdrawn from in front of your cabin, Dr. Hallet,” he added.