dinfrontofhim."Hecan'tstickyourappearance,Challengerand,byGeorge!Idon'twonder.Allright,littlechap,he'sonlyahuman,justthesameastherestofus."
"Really,sir!"criedtheProfessor.
"Well,it'sluckyforyou,Challenger,thatyouAREalittleoutoftheordinary.Ifyouhadn'tbeensoliketheking——"
"Uponmyword,LordJohn,youallowyourselfgreatlatitude."
"Well,it'safact."
"Ibeg,sir,thatyouwillchangethesubject.Yourremarksareirrelevantandunintelligible.ThequestionbeforeusiswhatarewetodowiththeseIndians?Theobviousthingistoescortthemhome,ifweknewwheretheirhomewas."
"Thereisnodifficultyaboutthat,"saidI."Theyliveinthecavesontheothersideofthecentrallake."
"Ouryoungfriendhereknowswheretheylive.Igatherthatitissomedistance."
"Agoodtwentymiles,"saidI.
Summerleegaveagroan.
"I,forone,couldnevergetthere.SurelyIhearthosebrutesstillhowlinguponourtrack."
Ashespoke,fromthedarkrecessesofthewoodsweheardfarawaythejabberingcryoftheape-men.TheIndiansoncemoresetupafeeblewailoffear.
"Wemustmove,andmovequick!"saidLordJohn."YouhelpSummerlee,youngfellah.TheseIndianswillcarrystores.Now,then,comealongbeforetheycanseeus."
Inlessthanhalf-an-hourwehadreachedourbrushwoodretreatandconcealedourselves.Alldayweheardtheexcitedcallingoftheape-meninthedirectionofouroldcamp,butnoneofthemcameourway,andthetiredfugitives,redandwhite,hadalong,deepsleep.Iwasdozingmyselfintheeveningwhensomeonepluckedmysleeve,andIfoundChallengerkneelingbesideme.
"Youkeepadiaryoftheseevents,andyouexpecteventuallytopublishit,Mr.Malone,"saidhe,withsolemnity.
"IamonlyhereasaPressreporter,"Ianswered.
"Exactly.YoumayhaveheardsomeratherfatuousremarksofLordJohnRoxton'swhichseemedtoimplythattherewassome—someresemblance——"
"Yes,Iheardthem."
"Ineednotsaythatanypublicitygiventosuchanidea—anylevityinyournarrativeofwhatoccurred—wouldbeexceedinglyoffensivetome."
"Iwillkeepwellwithinthetruth."
"LordJohn'sobservationsarefrequentlyexceedinglyfanciful,andheiscapableofattributingthemostabsurdreasonstotherespectwhichisalwaysshownbythemostundevelopedracestodignityandcharacter.Youfollowmymeaning?"
"Entirely."
"Ileavethemattertoyourdiscretion."Then,afteralongpause,headded:"Thekingoftheape-menwasreallyacreatureofgreatdistinction—amostremarkablyhandsomeandintelligentpersonality.Diditnotstrikeyou?"
"Amostremarkablecreature,"saidI.
AndtheProfessor,mucheasedinhismind,settleddowntohisslumberoncemore.