Chapter 9

In Which Dr. Floyd Feels Guilty About His Decision

Floyd’s party disembarks on the San Francisco docks with its cargo arriving from all over the world; Americans, Chinese, Japanese and more. You and your team have the whole day in the city before the train leaves for New York in the evening. It's time to take in the sights.

Floyd shakes off his sea legs and walks the streets with his dog Casper in search of a diversion to distract him from his concern about his lost valet, Mademoiselle Passepartout. His guilt about leaving her behind in Hong Kong has not subsided. He is convinced that because Hong Kong is a British Territory, Passepartout will find help through the consulate and venture back to London soon. He convinces himself that the wager was too great a cause to give up for one person.

As he moves toward a large pavilion near the water, he hears a street barker calling audiences to see a performance of a Chinese acrobatic troupe. "See the amazing human pyramid!" is ringing out in the street. This sounds like just the diversion Floyd is looking for. Your team accompanies Floyd into the pavilion and you all find seats. Floyd is still distracted by his thoughts and unable to focus on the performance that includes upwards of 40 acrobats clambering to the top of a human pyramid.

"Dr. Floyd! Dr. Floyd!" a voice cries out from the performer's ring. Suddenly, the large human pyramid of acrobats comes tumbling to the ground with gasps from the audience. One performer in full acrobat costume, crawls out from under the pile of bodies and begins running toward Dr. Floyd yelling, "You found me!"

Passepartout's story is a harrowing tale of a woman who is drugged from the strong tea, has no money, no food and no transportation. She missed the steamer that left Hong Kong and has no recourse. She chooses to join the acrobatic troupe for employment and transportation to America. "It was my only choice."