"What other interpretation is admissible, gentlemen?" he questioned somewhat peevishly, taking up the coat. "Here we have the royal insignia of the cruel emperor, Kee, and we note that these garments were given some one in his court by the alleged sorcerer, Fuh-keen. Perhaps it was revenge--perhaps some court plot in which Fuh-keen, for reasons of his own, was an active participant; it is of no importance, that part of it. So much for the first line: but now we come--" He paused to polish his spectacles. "Tell me," he said more cheerfully, "do our free translations of the ideographs so far agree in essentials--eh?" "Like as two peas!" Billings declared with manifest enthusiasm. The professor looked gratified and bowed. "Of course, the rendition is entirely a free one," he remarked. "You must not expect too much." "Devilish handsome and clever of him!" I whispered to Billings, as the professor proceeded to adjust his spectacles. "Dash it, I wish he'd let me pay him, though." "Forget it!" hissed Billings. "Didn't he just say it was free? He's no cheap skate, I tell you." The professor resumed: "Now we come to the second line, or, more strictly speaking, column," he said, straightening impressively. "Here we find the astonishing claim made that there will be a change or metamorphosis of any kind of animal life that these habiliments enshroud. Um!" The great man breathed heavily and batted at us over his glasses. "_Credat Judaeus apella_--eh, gentlemen?" And he winked knowingly. Dashed if he didn't almost catch me swallowing a yawn, too! For I hadn't any idea what he was talking about or driving at, and, by Jove, I _did_ know I was getting devilish sleepy. The professor waved his glasses. "Did you ever read such a childish, ridiculous, extravagant asseveration?" he demanded. "Ass--eh? I should say so!" I worked this off indignantly. "Tommyrot!" murmured Billings absently. He seemed thoughtful. I was thoughtful, too--wondering, by Jove, whether the professor would go soon, so we could turn in and get the earlier start to-morrow up the river. But chiefly I was wondering wistfully if Frances would still be angry with me. "Moreover," broke in the professor's voice as he turned again to the lettering, "to assert further that there will be a semblance--not actual, gentlemen, mind you, but an optical illusion--taking the form of some creature of the same kind that this silken tenement has previously inclosed. "In other words, gentlemen, if I were to don these garments, I might no longer look like myself, but like some one else who had worn them upon some previous occasion--perhaps last night--perhaps a thousand years ago. Eh? Is that what you understand?" He ducked again over the letters and came up, looking chagrined.