Yet equally I don't see
what good it can do. The underwriters have paid up, eh?"
"More than three years ago," I told him.
"Well, then . . . I was perfectly well prepared to answer any
questions at Valparaiso. I landed in my own name. I went back to
the same hotel. And 'Foe' is not the most common of names,
especially when you write 'Doctor' before it. . . . No, I'm wrong.
Farrell had entered our names on the register, and had entered mine
as 'Professor.' On my return I wrote it 'John Foe, M.D.' But anyway,
not a soul in the hotel recognised me. . . . I think my looks must
have altered, somehow. . . . So I let it go. I dare say you won't
understand, not knowing the kind of experiences I've been through,
nor the number of 'em. But you may understand that after a goodish
while as a castaway I was tired beyond the point of answering more
questions than I should happen to be asked. . . . So I gave
Valparaiso a silent blessing, and came home by the first ship, to
consult you and Collingwood. What--let me repeat--have you done with
Collingwood?"
"Jimmy?" said I.
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