“‘You must obtain a stone called the Red Laryx,’ he said.  ’It is to be found in great quantities on the three-hundred fathom level, forty miles to the west-south-west of North Aran Island, and can be procured for you by the same man that gets the weeds for Hamar and Curtis.  It is a blood-red pebble, covered with peculiarly vivid green spots, and cannot be mistaken.  Sit with it pressed against your forehead for an hour every morning, and concentrate hard on amalgamating yourself with it—­i.e. passing into it, and its properties will gradually be imparted to you.  Do this regularly, for a week, and by the end of that time, you will be able to experiment with animals.  All you will have to do, will be to hold the stone slightly clenched in your left hand, whilst, with your right, you make these signs in the air,’ and he showed me certain passes.  ’Stare fixedly into the animal’s eyes all the while, and, by the time you have finished making the passes, you will find the animals are subdued.  Pronounce these words “Meta—­ra—­ka—­va—­Avakana,” holding up, as you do so, your right hand with the thumb turned down and held right across the palm, and the little finger stretched out as wide as it will go, and you will understand what any animal wishes to say.’

“He ceased speaking, and approaching close to me, tapped my forehead; whereupon there was a blank; and on recovering consciousness, I found myself in bed, feeling somewhat exhausted and very cold.”

“You have no recollection of coming to see us, in your pyjamas, about two o’clock in the morning?” Hamar asked.

“Don’t talk rot,” Kelson said.  “I’m in no mood for fooling, I’ve got a chill on my liver.”

“What was it, Leon?” Curtis inquired.

“A case of unconscious projection,” Hamar said.  “Clearly the work of the Unknown.  We must commence carrying out the instructions at once.”

At the end of a week, Hamar, Kelson and Curtis, began to put in practice their newly acquired properties.

Hamar tested his, in a first-class railway carriage, on the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway.

“I’ll go for a day’s trip to Brighton,” he said, “and cheat the Company.  They deserve it.”

He went to Victoria, and ignoring the booking-office, calmly seated himself in a first-class compartment, where, amongst other occupants, sat a quite remarkably proper-looking clergyman, and a very handsomely dressed lady, with a haughty stare, and a typical nouveau riche nose!

When the ticket collector came round before the train started, Hamar waited, till every one else in the compartment had shown him their tickets, and then, just as the man was about to demand his, swallowed one of the prescribed pills, repeating immediately, in a loud voice, which caused considerable excitement among the other passengers, the words, “Bakra—­naka—­taksomana!” The next moment he had disappeared.

“Strike me red!” the collector gasped, putting one hand to his heart, and grasping the door with the other.  “What’s become of him?  Was he—­a—­a—­gho—­st?”