Alsotheythrusthandfulsofdrygrassintoourmouthstopreventusfromcallingout，althoughasaircamethroughtheintersticesofthegrass，wedidnotsuffocate。Thethingwassowelldonethatweneverstruckablowinself—defence，andalthoughwehadourpistolsathand，muchlesscouldwefireashot。Ofcourse，westruggledaswellaswewereable，butitwasquiteuseless；
inthreeminuteswewereashelplessascalvesinanetandlikecalveswerebeingconveyedtothebutcher。Bastinmanagedtogetthegagoutofhismouthforafewseconds，andIheardhimsayinhisslow，heavyvoice：
\"This，Bickley，iswhatcomesoftraffickingwithevilspiritsinmuseumcases——\"Therehisspeechstopped，forthegrasswadwasjammeddownhisthroatagain，butdistinctlyIheardtheinarticulateBickleysnortasheconceivedthereparteehewasunabletoutter。Asformyself，Ireflectedthatthebusinessservedusrightfornotkeepingawatch，andabandonedtheissuetofate。
Still，toconfessthetruth，IwasinfinitelymoresorrytodiethanIshouldhavebeenforty—eighthoursearlier。Thisisadullandinmostwaysadreadfulworld，one，ifwecouldonlysummonthecourage，thatsomeofuswouldbegladtoleaveinsearchofnewadventures。Buthereagreatandunprecedentedadventurehadbeguntobefallme，andbeforeitsmysterywassolved，beforeevenIcouldformulateatheoryconcerningit，mybodymustbedestroyed，andmyintelligencethatwascagedtherein，sentfarafield；or，ifBickleywereright，eclipsed。Itseemedsosadjustwhentheimpossible，likeanunguessedwanderingmoon，hadrisenoverthegreyflatsoftheascertainedandmadethemshinewithhopeandwonder。
Theycarriedusofftothecanoes，nottoogently；indeed，I