"Undoubtedly, Strock. Perhaps even more difficult than to penetrate
into the Great Eyrie."

It was evident that Mr. Ward was intent on rallying me about my
unsuccess. He would not do that, I felt assured, out of mere
unkindness. Perhaps then he meant to rouse my resolution. He knew me
well; and realized that I would have given anything in the world to
recoup my defeat. I waited quietly for new instructions.

Mr. Ward dropped his jesting and said to me very generously, "I know,
Strock, that you accomplished everything that depended on human
powers; and that no blame attaches to you. But we face now a matter
very different from that of the Great Eyrie. The day the government
decides to force that secret, everything is ready. We have only to
spend some thousands of dollars, and the road will be open."

"That is what I would urge."

"But at present," said Mr. Ward, shaking his head, "it is much more
important to place our hands on this fantastic inventor, who so
constantly escapes us. That is work for a detective, indeed; a master
detective!"

"He has not been heard from again?"

"No; and though there is every reason to believe that he has been,
and still continues, beneath the waters of Lake Kirdall, it has been
impossible to find any trace of him anywhere around there. One would
almost fancy he had the power of making himself invisible, this