"Gold," Craig said. "Borneo." A frown crossed his face. "Our little brown brothers came down from the north." "I know," said Higgins grimly. "They came to Pearl Harbor too, the little--. They ran you out of Borneo, eh?" "I got out," Craig said. "But this life-boat you were in? What happened?" "Jap bombers happened. They caught the ship I was on. Luckily we managed to get a few boats away--" "I see. Where are the other boats?" "Machine-gunned," Craig said. "A rain squall came along and hid us so they didn't get around to working on the boat I was in." He shrugged. "We were ten days in that boat. I was counting the jewels in the Pearly Gates when your task force came along. But enough about me. What about you?" Higgins shrugged. "What you can see," he said. Craig nodded. He could see plenty. The boy who had been known as "Stinky" in their days at Annapolis was boss of a battle wagon. "I heard you resigned your commission within a year after we had finished at the Academy," Higgins said. "Yes," Craig answered. "Mind if I ask why?" "Not at all. I just wanted some action and it didn't look as if I could get it in the Navy. So--" * * * * * It was not so much what Craig said as what he left unsaid that was important. He was a graduate of the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He and Stinky Higgins had finished in the same class. Higgins had stayed with the Navy. Craig had not been able to endure the inactivity of belonging to a fighting organization when there was no fighting to be done. He was born with the wanderlust, with itching feet, with the urge to see what lay beyond the farthermost horizon. "So you were prospecting for gold?" Captain Higgins asked. "Yes." "What are you going to do now, if I may ask?" "Well," Craig said, "I was on my way back to the States, to join up again, if they would take me." Higgins grinned. "If they would take you? They will grab you with open arms. They could use a million like you." "Thanks," Craig said. A knock sounded on the door. "What is it?" Higgins said to the aide who entered. "One of the men we picked up in the life-boat wants to see you, sir." "What about?" "He would not say, sir. He insists it is of the utmost importance. His name is Michaelson, sir. Shall I show him to your quarters?" "Very well. I'll see him immediately." The aide saluted smartly and left. "Who is this Michaelson?" Higgins said to Craig. "I don't know," Craig shrugged. "Just one of the passengers in the life-boat. We didn't ask each other for pedigrees. About all I can say about him is that he is a queer duck." Craig explained how Michaelson had been constantly studying the contents of the notebook he carried. The captain frowned. "There is a Michaelson who is a world-famous scientist," he said. "I don't suppose this could be he."