You see, after a certain explosion in their home, a month or two of reconstruction had been necessary; and I opine that Mrs. Hawkins had thought best to remove her husband while the repairs were being made. If he had been there it is dollars to doughnuts he would have invented a new bricklayer or a novel plastering machine and wrecked the whole place anew. It was in reply to my query as to his presence in New York that Hawkins said: “Well, you know, Griggs, it impressed me as very foolish from the first--that idea of my wife's of getting out of town while the place was being rebuilt.” “She may have had her reasons, Hawkins,” I suggested. “Possibly, although I fail to see what they were. When a man's own home is being built--or rebuilt--his place is on the spot, to see that everything is done right. Now, how, for instance, could I, away down in Georgia, know that those workmen were properly fitting up my new workshop?” “Workshop?” I gasped. “Are you having another one built?” “Certainly,” snapped Hawkins. “I didn't mention it to Mrs. Hawkins, for she seems foolishly set against my continuing my scientific labors. But I fixed it on the sly with the architect. It's all finished now--has been for a week and over--power and everything else.” “Hawkins,” I said, sadly, “are you going right on with your experimenting?” “Of course I am,” replied the inventor, rather warmly. “It's altogether beyond your poor little brain, Griggs, but scientific work is the very breath of my life! I can't be happy without it; I'm not going to try. Why, all those seven weeks down South one idea simply roared in my head. I had to come home and perfect it--and I did. I've been in New York nearly three weeks, working on it,” concluded Hawkins, complacently. “And you've managed to perfect another accursed----” I began. Just then I ceased speaking and watched Hawkins. His ears had pricked up like a horse's. I, too, listened and heard what seemed to be a heavy automobile outdoors; at any rate, it was the characteristic chugg-chugg-chugg of a touring car, and nowadays a commonplace sound enough. But it affected Hawkins deeply. An ecstatic smile overspread his face, and he drew in his breath with a long, happy: “A-a-a-a-a-ah!” “Been buying a new auto, Hawkins?” I asked, carelessly. “Auto be hanged!” replied the inventor, energetically. “Do you imagine that an automobile is making that noise? I guess not! That's my new invention, Griggs!” “What!” I cried. “Here? In this hotel?” “Right here in this hotel--right under our feet,” said Hawkins, proudly. “That noise comes from the Hawkins Gasowashine!” I think I stared open-mouthed at Hawkins for a moment or two; I know that I leaned back and shook with as violent mirth as might be permitted in so solemnly proper a resort. “Well, does that impress you as particularly humorous?” demanded Hawkins, angrily. “Hawkins,” I said, “why don't you start in and write nonsense verse? There's a fortune waiting for you.”