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TARTAR
99

He walked over to the cell and opened the door. The Professor was stretched out on the narrow bench, snoring quite peacefully. The captain gave one look. Then he let out a yell of surprise.

"Good heavens! It's Professor Barker Harrison!"

He explained to the mystified O'Mahoney in a furious whisper.

The latter shook his head.

"Begabs an' I can't help it at all, at all. He assaulted me. He gave me them aliases. And I swear by the Blessed Virgin that he was sober as you and me, captain."

The captain shook his head.

"Poor fellow!" he said. "Overwork—or I'm a Dutchman."

So he quashed the charges and telephoned to the Professor's wife, who by this time had come out of her swoon and was horribly worried over her husband's absence.

She came. The captain explained to her. Together they awakened the Professor.

When the Professor came to he gave another war-whoop.

"Ho!" he said. "There is that impudent slave