"No," said Mr. Jonas Medderbrook, "but that is not what I wish to explain. In my contortion act, Mr. Gubb, I was obliged to wear the most expensive silk tights. Wiggling on the floor destroys them rapidly. I had a happy thought. I was known as the Man-Serpent. Could I not save all expense of tights by having myself tattooed so that my skin would represent scales? Look." Mr. Medderbrook pulled up his cuff and showed Mr. Gubb his arm. It was beautifully tattooed in red and blue, like the scales of a cobra. "The cost," continued Mr. Medderbrook, "was great. Herr Schreckenheim worked continuously on me, and when he reached my manly chest I had a brilliant thought. I would have tattooed upon it an American eagle. Imagine the enthusiasm of an audience when I stood straight, spread my arms and showed that noble emblem of our nation's strength and freedom! I told Herr Schreckenheim and he set to work. When--and the contract price, by the way, for doing that eagle was five hundred dollars--when the eagle was about completed, I said to Herr Schreckenheim, 'Of course you will do no more eagles?' "'More eagles?' he said questioningly. "'On other men," I said. 'I want to be the only man with an eagle on my chest.' "'I am doing an eagle on another man now,' he said. "I was angry at once. I jumped from the table and threw on my clothes. 'Cheater!' I cried. 'Not another spot or dot shall you make on me! Go! I will never pay you a cent!' "He was very angry. 'It is a contract!' he cried. 'Five hundred dollars you owe me!' "'I owe it to you when the job is complete,' I declared. 'That was the contract. Is this job complete? Where are the eagle's claws? I'll never pay you a cent!' "We had a lot of angry words. He demanded that I give him a chance to put the claws on the eagle. I refused. I said I would never pay. He said he would follow me to the end of the world and collect. He said he would do those eagle claws if he had to do them on my infant daughter. I dared him to touch the child. And now," said Mr. Medderbrook, "he has taken the golf cup I value at five hundred dollars. He has won." At the mention of the threat regarding the child, Philo Gubb's eyes opened wide, but he kept silence. "Gubb," said Mr. Medderbrook suddenly, "I'll give you a thousand dollars if you can recover my poor child." "The deteckative profession is full of complicity of detail," said Mr. Gubb, "and the impossible is quite possible when put in the right hands. The cup--" "Bother the cup!" said Mr. Medderbrook carelessly. "I want my child--I'll give _ten_ thousand dollars for my child, Gubb." With difficulty could Philo Gubb restrain his eagerness to depart. He had a clue! Ordinarily Mr. Gubb would have taken any disguise that seemed to him best suited for the work in hand; but now he was going to see and be seen by Syrilla!