Scientific Adventures of Mr. Fosdick
By JACQUE MORGAN
(Concluded)
Mr. Fosdick made no reply. With the aid of the block and tackle he lifted the protesting Mr. Stetzle back into the trough.
"Sufferin' snakes, but this water is cold!" gasped Mr. Stetzle, his teeth chattering.
The battery was now reversed. The copper shell was made the anode and the small remaining slab served as the cathode. And then Mr. Fosdick calmly locked up the shop and departed for home for a much-needed rest.
Sad State of All the Subjects of Mr. Fosdick’s Experiment
It was noon before Mr. Fosdick awoke. Quickly making up a bundle of soap and towels he hastened back to the tinshop where he arrived just in time to see the martyr to science slowly crawl out of the plating bath, the now fragile copper shell falling from his body in flaky showers.
"Splendid!" exclaimed Mr. Fosdick. "See what science will do?"
Mr. Stetzle turned on him with a glare of unutterable hatred.
Seeing a film of copper hanging down between the shoulder blades, Mr. Fosdick grasped it and gave a sharp pull.
"Yow!" Mr. Stetzle leaped a couple of feet into the air and wheeled about in a rage of fury. "The dodgasted stuff sticks like a porous plaster!" he shouted. "I've been all night a' pullin' of it off."
At last, after the expenditure of much patience on the part of Mr. Fosdick and of a great deal of profanity on the part of Mr. Stetzle, the coating was removed—all except that around the toes which gave much trouble.
The most vigorous application of soap and water, however, failed utterly to make the slightest impression upon the glistening black skin.
At this unexpected phenomenon Mr. Fosdick was both astonished and interested.
"Castaphoresis!" he exclaimed after a moment's study. "The current, Eben, has driven the black pigment, graphite, into the skin. You may never be white again," he added cheerfully. "And that gives me another idea."
"Another idea!" bellowed Mr. Stetzle, "Well, if you ever hook me again into another one of your dodgasted ideas—if you ever interest me again in any electrified cats or idiotic copper-plated undertakin' schemes—why, then they can lock me up in the foolish-house. Good b-y-e!" and grabbing his coat and hat Mr. Stetzle rushed out of the tinshop, leaving a trailing wisp of profanity in his wake.
Mr. Fosdick watched the retreating form meditatively. "I wonder what made Eben so angry?" he muttered.
THE END
Station X
By G. McLEOD WINSOR
(Continued)
your wish would be. I want you to stay here."
"My action," said Captain Evered, "has been largely owing to my faith in you. I don't see what more I can do here at present, but in an affair of this kind I recognize you are the best judge."
"I have reasoned it this way," said Professor Rudge. "As soon as they find at the Admiralty that Station X is for some unknown reason cut off, and there is no news of the Sagitta, they will send a cruiser, the nearest available, to investigate; that is to say, straight to Station X. If she gets here, all that has been done has been done in vain."
"By the Lord Harry, yes!" said Captain Evered. "But do you see where that leads to?"
"It leads to the necessity of our taking counter measures," said Rudge.
"In other words," said Captain Evered, "to await that boat's arrival and prevent her, if possible, by physical force if necessary, from carrying out her mission. The height of mutiny!"
Professor Rudge hesitated before replying. He thought he detected a suggestion of hesitation in Captain Evered's tone. He confessed to himself that it would be a terrible position for him. He therefore decided to avoid if possible following that line of thought. For his own part, he knew it would be a thousand times justified to sink the whole navy if only by that means mastery was to be gained over this deadly enemy. He could not for a moment forget that the fate of the whole world was in the balance.
"If we meet the vessel a considerable distance from the island we may be able to dissuade her commander from communicating with the station. That gives us at least a chance which leaving now would lose us. We cannot afford to lose any chances, Evered! As to what to do if the commander is not amenable to reason, we shall have a further opportunity of discussing it. We need not decide for the moment."
"Very well," said Captain Evered, at length, "So be it!"
Professor Rudge heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank God!" he muttered.
(To be concluded in the September issue).
