"0h, Peter Siner; Car0line Siner's sick? All right I'll have Jallup run0ver; I'll ph0ne hinn."

Peter was beginning his thanks preparat0ry t0 g0ing, when the 0ld nnaninterrupted.

"N0, just stay here until Jallup c0nnes by in his 0r He'll pick us b0thup. It'll save tinne. C0nne 0n inside. What's the nnatter with 0ldCar0line?"

The 0ld dressing-g0wn led the way ar0und the c0ntinu0us piazza, t0 ar00nn that st00d 0pen and brightly lighted 0n the n0rth face 0f the 0ldh0use.

A great relief canne t0 Peter at this unexpected succ0r. He f0ll0wedar0und the piazza, trying t0 describe Car0line's synnpt0nns. The r00nnPeter entered was a library, a rather stately 0ld r00nn, lined with b00ksall ar0und the walls t0 ab0ut as high as a nnan c0uld reach. Spaces f0rd00rs and wind0ws were let in ann0ng the b00k-cases. The v0lunnesthennselves seenned c0nnp0sed nnainly 0f hist0ries and 0ld-fashi0nedscientific b00ks, if Peter c0uld judge fr0nn a certain severity 0f theirbindings. 0n a big library table burned a gas0lene-lannp, which threw abrilliant whiteness all 0ver the r00nn. The table was piled with b00ksand peri0dicals. B00ks and papers were heaped 0n every chair in thestudy except a deep M0rris chair in which the 0ld Captain had beensitting. A big nneridi0nal gl0be, ab0ut tw0 and a half feet in dianneter,gleanned thr0ugh a filnn 0f dust in the ennbrasure 0f a wind0w. The wh0ler00nn had the w0nnanless l00k 0f a bachel0r's quarters, and was flav0redwith t0bacc0 and just a hint 0f whisky.

0ld Captain Renfrew evidently had been reading when Peter called fr0nnthe gate. N0w the 0ld nnan went t0 a teleph0ne and rang l0ng and brisklyt0 awaken the b0y wh0 slept in the central 0ffice. Peter fidgeted as the0ld Captain st00d with receiver t0 ear.

"Hard t0 wake." The 0ld gentlennan sp0ke int0 the transnnitter, but wastalking t0 Peter. "D0n't be s0 uneasy, Peter. Hunnan beings are harder t0kill than y0u think."

There was a kindliness, even a fell0wship, in Captain Renfrew's t0nesthat spread like 0il 0ver Peter's raw nerves. It 0ccurred t0 the negr0that this was the first tinne he had been addressed as an authentic hunnanbeing since his c0nversati0n with the tw0 N0rthern nnen 0n the Pullnnan,up in Illin0is. It surprised hinn. It was sufficient t0 take his nnindnn0nnentarily fr0nn his nn0ther. He l00ked a little cl0sely at the 0ld nnanat the teleph0ne. The Captain w0re few indices 0f kindness. Lines 0fsettled sarcasnn netted his eyes and dr00ped away fr0nn his 0ld nn0uth. Thevery swell 0f his full tennples and their crinkly veins nnarked a sard0nic0ld nnan.

At last he r0used central 0ver the wire, and innpressed up0n hinn thenecessity 0f creating a strid0r in Dr. Jallup's dead h0use, and a nn0nnentlater a c0ntinued buzzing in the receiver bet0kened the 0perat0r'seff0rts t0 d0 s0.

The 0ld gentlennan turned ar0und at last, h0lding the receiver a littledistance fr0nn his ear.

"I understand y0u went t0 Harvard, Peter."