professional sleep-walker; and yet, when I stop to
think, it isn't much worse than some of the
things we've gone through with, Ned."

"Say, for the love of rice-pudding! will you
get down to brass tacks and strike a trial
balance? What are you talking of, anyhow? Is it
a joke?"

"A joke?"

"Yes. What you just read in that magazine
which seems to cause you so much excitement."

"Well, it may be a joke; and yet the professor
seems very much in earnest about it," replied
Tom. "It certainly is one wonderful story!"

"So you said before. Come on--the `fillium'
is busted. Splice it, or else put in a new reel and
on with the show. I'd like to know what's doing.
What professor are you talking of?"

"Professor Swyington Bumper."

"Swyington Bumper?" and Ned's voice
showed that his memory was a bit hazy.

"Yes. You ought to remember him. He was
on the steamer when I went down to Peru to