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I was the Flail of the Lord

           ItwasagreedthatIshouldwritehomefullaccountsofmyadventuresintheshapeofsuccessiveletterstoMcArdle,andthattheseshouldeitherbeeditedfortheGazetteastheyarrived,orheldbacktobepublishedlater,accordingtothewishesofProfessorChallenger,sincewecouldnotyetknowwhatconditionshemightattachtothosedirectionswhichshouldguideustotheunknownland.Inresponsetoatelephoneinquiry,wereceivednothingmoredefinitethanafulminationagainstthePress,endingupwiththeremarkthatifwewouldnotifyourboathewouldhandusanydirectionswhichhemightthinkitpropertogiveusatthemomentofstarting.Asecondquestionfromusfailedtoelicitanyansweratall,saveaplaintivebleatfromhiswifetotheeffectthatherhusbandwasinaveryviolenttemperalready,andthatshehopedwewoulddonothingtomakeitworse.Athirdattempt,laterintheday,provokedaterrificcrash,andasubsequentmessagefromtheCentralExchangethatProfessorChallenger’sreceiverhadbeenshattered.Afterthatweabandonedallattemptatcommunication.

           Andnowmypatientreaders,Icanaddressyoudirectlynolonger.Fromnowonwards(if,indeed,anycontinuationofthisnarrativeshouldeverreachyou)itcanonlybethroughthepaperwhichIrepresent.InthehandsoftheeditorIleavethisaccountoftheeventswhichhaveleduptooneofthemostremarkableexpeditionsofalltime,sothatifIneverreturntoEnglandthereshallbesomerecordastohowtheaffaircameabout.IamwritingtheselastlinesinthesaloonoftheBoothlinerFrancisca,andtheywillgobackbythepilottothekeepingofMr.McArdle.LetmedrawonelastpicturebeforeIclosethenotebookapicturewhichisthelastmemoryoftheoldcountrywhichIbearawaywithme.Itisawet,foggymorninginthelatespring;athin,coldrainisfalling.Threeshiningmackintoshedfiguresarewalkingdownthequay,makingforthegang-plankofthegreatlinerfromwhichtheblue-peterisflying.

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