“They went off to find you and Mervyn,” was the reply. Continuing, Wilson told him how Seymour had returned, and all that had befallen the Seal since.
“Great Scott!” Hilton ejaculated, “you’ve had a marvellous escape. I don’t feel easy about that saurian though. The old gentleman may take it into his head to turn up again, and we can’t expect the mist to be on hand a second time. However, there’s no need to worry about that until he comes.”
“How did you manage to escape?” the engineer asked.
“It’s too long a story to tell you now,” Hilton answered. “I’m just dying for a few hours’ sleep so, if you feel fit enough to keep watch, I’ll slip below for a time. Call me at once should anything turn up,” he added, and, turning, left the turret.
A short rest, followed by a bath, quickly restored the inventor’s vitality.
Re-entering the wheelhouse, he found that Wilson had spread an appetising meal upon the lockers.
“I thought it best to bring the grub up here,” the engineer explained, “so that we can keep a look-out while we eat.”
“Quite right, old man,” Garth returned, and at once fell to.
For a while they ate in silence, then, at a question from his friend, Hilton told his story.
“No doubt Seymour explained how Mervyn was carted off?” he began interrogatively, “and how we scrambled down into the valley after him?”