Merton thought of the volume in M. of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.  The volume slowly slid from the shelf, glided through the air to Merton, and gently subsided on the table near him, open at the word Moa.

Merton walked across to the bookcase, took all the volumes from the shelf, and carefully examined the backs and sides for springs and mechanical advantages.  There were none.

‘Not half bad!’ he said, when he had completed his investigation.

’You are satisfied that Te-iki-pa knew something?  If you had seen what I have seen, if you had seen the three days dead—­’ and Bude shivered slightly.

‘I have seen enough.  Do you know how it is done?’

‘No.’

’Well, a miracle is not what you call logical proof, but I believe that you did see the Moa, and a still more extraordinary bird, Te-iki-pa.’

’Yes, they talk of strange beasts, but “nothing is stranger than man.”  Did you ever hear of the Berbalangs of Cagayan Sulu?’

‘Never in my life,’ said Merton.

‘Heaven preserve me from them,’ said Bude, and he gently stroked the strange muddy pearls in the sleeve-links on his loose shirt-cuff.  ’Angels and ministers of grace defend us,’ he exclaimed, crossing himself (he was of the old faith), and he fell silent.

It was a moment of emotion.  Six silvery strokes were sounded from a little clock on the chimney-piece.  The hour of confidences had struck.

‘Bude, you are serious about Miss McCabe?’ asked Merton.

‘I mean to put it to the touch at Goodwood.’

‘No use!’ said Merton.

Bude changed colour.

‘Are you?’

‘No,’ interrupted Merton.  ‘But she is not free.’

‘There is somebody in America?  Nobody here, I think.’

‘It is hardly that,’ said Merton.  ’Can you listen to rather a long story?  I’ll cut it as much as possible.  You must remember that I am practically breaking my word of honour in telling you this.  My honour is in your hands.’

‘Fire away,’ said Bude, pouring a bottle of Apollinaris water into a long tumbler, and drinking deep.

Merton told the tale of Miss McCabe’s extraordinary involvement, and of the wild conditions on which her hand was to be won.  ’And as to her heart, I think,’ he added, ’if you pull off the prize—­

   If my heart by signs can tell,
   Lordling, I have marked her daily,
   And I think she loves thee well.’

‘Thank you for that, old cock,’ replied the peer, shaking Merton’s hand.  He had recovered from his emotion.

‘I’m on,’ he added, after a moment’s silence, ’but I shall enter as Jones Harvey.’

‘His name and his celebrated papers will impress the trustees,’ said Merton.  ’Now what variety of nature shall you go for?  Wild men count.  Shall you fetch a Berbalang of what do you call it?’

Bude shuddered.  ‘Not much,’ he said.  ‘I think I shall fetch a Moa.’