become frightened!

He ate very little breakfast, and for once omitted to smoke his pipe. He
had the map spread open beside him, and kept studying its markings.

"We'd better get off sharp in an hour," I said presently, feeling for an
opening that must bring him indirectly to a partial confession at any
rate. And his answer puzzled me uncomfortably: "Rather! If they'll let
us."

"Who'll let us? The elements?" I asked quickly, with affected
indifference.

"The powers of this awful place, whoever they are," he replied, keeping
his eyes on the map. "The gods are here, if they are anywhere at all in
the world."

"The elements are always the true immortals," I replied, laughing as
naturally as I could manage, yet knowing quite well that my face
reflected my true feelings when he looked up gravely at me and spoke
across the smoke:

"We shall be fortunate if we get away without further disaster."

This was exactly what I had dreaded, and I screwed myself up to the
point of the direct question. It was like agreeing to allow the dentist
to extract the tooth; it _had_ to come anyhow in the long run, and the
rest was all pretense.

"Further disaster! Why, what's happened?"