He hesitated. Then he shrugged his shoulders. 'Okay, mate. But you'd better do the explainin' ter the Capting.'
We finished our meal and then prepared to go down again. I was just refilling my lamp with carbide when Captain Manack entered. 'Has the charge gone off yet?' he asked.
'Yes,' I said. 'About twenty minutes ago.'
'Then why the hell aren't you down there, getting on with it?'
'Waiting for the dust to settle,' I told him.
'To hell with the dust,' he cried angrily. 'Go on, get on with it. We haven't time to waste worrying about dust.'
'You can't do much till the dust has laid a bit,' I answered.
He was about to make some angry retort, but he thought better of it.
'Is the ol' man still safely locked up?' Friar asked.
'Yes,' was the reply.