约翰叔叔通过他的老朋友巴罗找到了一位符合条件的医生。当他匆匆赶到戈瑞医生的实验室时，却感到有一种恐怖的气氛笼罩着整个房间。戈瑞医生的脸布满了青灰色的伤痕，歪着的嘴角仿佛在狰狞地微笑，一只眼睛闭着，而另一只竟然是用玻璃制成的！戈瑞医生究竟经历了怎样的伤痛？他会不会同意和大家一起去前线呢？
Uncle John was up bright and early next morning，and directly after breakfast he called upon his old friend and physician，Dr.Barlow.After explaining the undertaking on which he had embarked，Mr.Merrick added：
"You see，we need a surgeon with us；a clever，keenchap who understands his business thoroughly，a sawbonesa with all the modern scientific discoveries saturating him to his finger—tips.Tell me where to get him."Dr.Barlow，recovering somewhat from his astonishment，smiled deprecatingly.
"The sort of man you describe，"said he，"would cost you a fortune，for you would oblige him to abandon a large and lucrativeb practice in order to accompany you.I doubt，indeed，if any price would tempt him to abandon his patients.""Isn't there some young fellow with these requirements？""Mr.Merrick，you need a physician and surgeoncombined.Wounds lead to fever and other serious ailments，which need skillful handling.You might secure a young man，fresh from his clinics，who would prove a good surgeon，but to master the science of medicine，experience and long practice are absolutely necessary.""We've got a half—way medicine man on the ship now—a fellow who has doctored the crew for years and kept 'em pretty healthy.So I guess a surgeon will about fill our bill.""H—m，I know these ship's doctors，Mr.Merrick，andI wouldn't care to have you and your nieces trust your lives to one，in case you become ill.Believe me，a good physician is as necessary to you as a good surgeon.Do you know that disease will kill as many of those soldiers as bullets？""No.""It is true；else the history of wars has taught us nothing.We haven't heard much of plagues and epidemics yet，in the carefully censored reports from London，but it won't be long before disease will devastate whole armies."Uncle John frowned.The thing was growing complicated."Do you consider this a wild goose chase，Doctor？"heasked.
"Not with your fortune，your girls and your fine ship to back it.I think Miss Stanton's idea of venturing abroad unattended，to nurse the wounded，was Quixotica in the extreme.Some American women are doing it，I know，but I don't approve of it.On the other hand，your present plan is worthy of admiration and applause，for it is eminentlyb practical if properly handled."Dr.Barlow drummed upon the table with his fingers，musingly.Then he looked up.
"I wonder，"said he，"if Gys would go.If you could win him over，he would fill the bill.""Who is Gys？"inquired Uncle John.
"An eccentric；a character.But clever and competent.
He has just returned from Yucatan，where he accompanied an expedition of exploration sent out by the Geographical Society—and，by the way，nearly lost his life in the venture.Before that，he made a trip to the frozen North with a rescue party.Between times，he works in the hospitals，or acts as consulting surgeon with men of greater fame than he has won；but Gys is a rolling stone，erratic and whimsicala，and with all his talent can never settle down to a steady practice.""Seems like the very man I want，"said Uncle John，much interested."Where can I find him？""I've no idea.But I'll call up Collins and inquire."He took up the telephone receiver and got his number."Collins？Say，I'm anxious to find Gys.Have you anyidea—Eh？Sitting with you now？How lucky.Ask him if he will come to my office at once；it's important."Uncle John's face was beaming with satisfaction.The doctor waited，the receiver at his ear.
"What's that，Collins？He won't come？Why not？Absurd！I've a fine proposition for him.Eh？He isn't interested in propositions？What in thunder is he interested in？Pshawb！Hold the phone a minute."Turning to Mr.Merrick，he said：
"Gys wants to go on a fishing trip.He plans to start to—night for the Maine woods.But I've an idea if you could get him face to face you might convince him.""See if he'll stay where he is till I can get there."The doctor turned to the telephone and asked the question.There was a long pause.Gys wanted to know who it was that proposed to visit him.John Merrick，the retired millionaire？All right；Gys would wait in Collins'office for twenty minutes.
Uncle John lost no time in rushing to his motor car，where he ordered the driver to hasten to the address Dr.Barlow had given him.
The offices of Dr.Collins were impressive.Mr.Merrick entered a luxurious reception room and gave his name to a businesslike young woman who advanced to meet him.He had called to see Dr.Gys.
The young woman smothered a smile that crept to her lips，and led Uncle John through an examination room and an operating room—both vacant just now—and so into a laboratory that was calculated to give a well person the shivers.Here was but one individual，a man in his shirt—sleeves who was smoking a corncob pipea and bending over a test tube.
Uncle John coughed to announce his presence，for thewoman had slipped away as she closed the door.The man's back was turned partially toward his visitor.He did not alter his position as he said：