the beach began chattering to them excitedly--a foreign language,
as I fancied--as they laid hands on some bales piled near the stern.
Somewhere I had heard such a voice before, and I could not think where.
The white-haired man stood, holding in a tumult of six dogs, and bawling
orders over their din. Montgomery, having unshipped the rudder,
landed likewise, and all set to work at unloading. I was too faint,
what with my long fast and the sun beating down on my bare head, to offer
any assistance.

Presently the white-haired man seemed to recollect my presence,
and came up to me.

"You look," said he, "as though you had scarcely breakfasted."
His little eyes were a brilliant black under his heavy brows.
"I must apologise for that. Now you are our guest, we must
make you comfortable,--though you are uninvited, you know."
He looked keenly into my face. "Montgomery says you are an educated man,
Mr. Prendick; says you know something of science. May I ask what
that signifies?"

I told him I had spent some years at the Royal College of Science,
and had done some researches in biology under Huxley. He raised
his eyebrows slightly at that.

"That alters the case a little, Mr. Prendick," he said,
with a trifle more respect in his manner. "As it happens,
we are biologists here. This is a biological station--of a sort."
His eye rested on the men in white who were busily hauling the puma,
on rollers, towards the walled yard. "I and Montgomery, at least,"
he added. Then, "When you will be able to get away, I can't say.