from the suspect and subject it to the bacteriological test. A man
without any visible symptoms may be chock full of the leprosy
bacilli."

"Then you or I, for all we know," I suggested, "may be full of it
now."

Kersdale shrugged his shoulders and laughed.

"Who can say? It takes seven years for it to incubate. If you have
any doubts go and see Doctor Hervey. He'll just snip out a piece of
your skin and let you know in a jiffy."

Later on he introduced me to Dr. Hervey, who loaded me down with
Board of Health reports and pamphlets on the subject, and took me
out to Kalihi, the Honolulu receiving station, where suspects were
examined and confirmed lepers were held for deportation to Molokai.
These deportations occurred about once a month, when, the last good-
byes said, the lepers were marched on board the little steamer, the
Noeau, and carried down to the settlement.

One afternoon, writing letters at the club, Jack Kersdale dropped in
on me.

"Just the man I want to see," was his greeting. "I'll show you the
saddest aspect of the whole situation--the lepers wailing as they
depart for Molokai. The Noeau will be taking them on board in a few
minutes. But let me warn you not to let your feelings be harrowed.
Real as their grief is, they'd wail a whole sight harder a year
hence if the Board of Health tried to take them away from Molokai.