Collins began the show with a prologue in which he read some “conundrums,” as he called them. They were groaners of the first order, but his crewmates were so glad to see him back in action that nobody cared. “Why,” said Collins, “is that stanchion like Mr. James Gordon Bennett?” Why? “Because it supports the house.” “And why do you suppose it is that the USS Jeannette will never run out of fuel?” “Because we have Cole on board!” Collins went on in this vein, ignoring the guffaws, eventually incorporating every member of the Jeannette into a riddle or a rhyme.
