“Why, yes, a little. We don’t have many cases as you probably know,” the man replied, in what seemed to the listeners, a relieved tone. “That’s true, thanks to you doctors. Now then, you know the disease when you see it, I suppose?” “Certainly, it’s unmistakable.” “So I’ve been told. Now did you ever send a patient to Molokai?” “Only once, about three years ago.” “Not since then?” “No.” “You are sure?” “Quite.” “Please be very sure your memory doesn’t fail you,” the chief cautioned him, “because I have a very good reason to know that you sent a man there not much more than three months ago.” “Who says I did?” “Never mind that. The fact is that you did.” “I did not.” “Think carefully.” “You don’t suppose I’d forget a thing like that, do you?” “It hardly seems likely, and yet——” “I tell you I did not. It’s been all of three years since I sent a patient there.” “I tell you frankly, doctor, that you had better come clean. It’ll go much easier with you.” “But, chief, I can’t say I did when I didn’t.” Rogers and the boys had noticed that the Jap was having hard work to control himself as he listened to the conversation. Rogers, who sat close beside him, had laid his hand on his arm as if to reassure him, but the restraint was not enough for, as the doctor made the last denial, he leaped to his feet and, before they could restrain him, he had darted through the doorway. “You lie,” he shouted as he sprang into the room and confronted the astonished doctor. But the latter displayed nothing but a natural astonishment. “You sent me to Molokai three months ago and you know it,” the Jap cried shaking his fist at the doctor who was now regarding him with an amused smile on his face. “I’m afraid, my friend, you will have some trouble in proving that,” he declared. “You deny it?” the Jap shouted. “I most certainly do,” the doctor replied calmly. “To the best of my knowledge I never saw you before.” Rogers and the boys had followed the Jap into the room and now Rogers whispered: “I’m afraid he can’t prove it.” “Looks that way to me,” Bill whispered back. “How about it?” the chief asked the Jap, “Can you prove what you say?” “I——I——” the Jap hesitated and Horn interrupted. “He can’t prove it and he knows he can’t for the very good reason that it’s not true. I believe blackmail is his game. If there’s nothing else, chief, I’d like to go now. As I told you I have a very important appointment.” “All right, you can go, but before you leave, just let me give you a word of advice. From what I’ve heard of you you’ve been sailing pretty close to the wind on more than one occasion and my advice is that you be a bit more careful. I don’t mind telling you that in my opinion you’re guilty of what this man accuses you, but I’m afraid he can’t prove it.” “Any time you can pin anything on me you’re welcome,” the doctor almost shouted but his face was very red and they all saw that he was frightened.