nthoseparts,Imaytellyou,thoughyouwon'tfinditinanyBlue-book.Therearetimes,youngfellah,wheneveryoneofusmustmakeastandforhumanrightandjustice,oryouneverfeelcleanagain.That'swhyImadealittlewaronmyown.Declareditmyself,wageditmyself,endeditmyself.Eachofthosenicksisforaslavemurderer—agoodrowofthem—what?ThatbigoneisforPedroLopez,thekingofthemall,thatIkilledinabackwaterofthePutomayoRiver.Now,here'ssomethingthatwoulddoforyou."Hetookoutabeautifulbrown-and-silverrifle."Wellrubberedatthestock,sharplysighted,fivecartridgestotheclip.Youcantrustyourlifetothat."Hehandedittomeandclosedthedoorofhisoakcabinet.
"Bytheway,"hecontinued,comingbacktohischair,"whatdoyouknowofthisProfessorChallenger?"
"Ineversawhimtillto-day."
"Well,neitherdidI.It'sfunnyweshouldbothsailundersealedordersfromamanwedon'tknow.Heseemedanuppisholdbird.Hisbrothersofsciencedon'tseemtoofondofhim,either.Howcameyoutotakeaninterestintheaffair?"
Itoldhimshortlymyexperiencesofthemorning,andhelistenedintently.ThenhedrewoutamapofSouthAmericaandlaiditonthetable.
"Ibelieveeverysinglewordhesaidtoyouwasthetruth,"saidhe,earnestly,"and,mindyou,IhavesomethingtogoonwhenIspeaklikethat.SouthAmericaisaplaceIlove,andIthink,ifyoutakeitrightthroughfromDarientoFuego,it'sthegrandest,richest,mostwonderfulbitofearthuponthisplanet.Peopledon'tknowityet,anddon'trealizewhatitmaybecome.I'vebeenupan'downitfromendtoend,andhadtwodryseasonsinthoseveryparts,asItoldyouwhenIspokeofthewarImadeontheslave-dealers.Well,whenIwasupthereIheardsomeyarnsofthesamekind—traditionsofIndiansandthelike,butwithsomethin'behindthem,nodoubt.Themoreyouknewofthatcountry,youngfellah,themoreyouwouldunderstandthatanythin'waspossible—ANYTHIN'!Therearejustsomenarrowwater-lanesalongwhichfolktravel,andoutsidethatitisalldarkness.Now,downhereintheMattoGrande"—heswepthiscigaroverapartofthemap—"orupinthiscornerwherethreecountriesmeet,nothin'wouldsurpriseme.Asthatchapsaidto-night,ther