“Yes, this is surely the little fellow we are searching for.”
I could not imagine what he meant by this, although it occurred to me that it was a pleasant thing to have him speak good, plain English; but the other circumstances were so entirely novel that, instead of opening the conversation with some conventional remark, like a sensible person, I burst out with:
“But Proctor says Mars has passed its life-bearing period.”
I hardly knew what I said, but it proved that they were just the words to commend me to my new friend, for as he reached over and lifted me into the boat he said:
“Why, how did you know Proctor? You must have misunderstood him, for he would never say such a thing as that.”
While I was puzzling over this strange speech he continued:
“I think we have some one in the ship whom you will be glad to see.”
I began to fear I should not get on very well in Mars if all the inhabitants talked in such riddles, but I said, as politely as I could:
“I am sure I need not wait to get to the ship to be pleased. I am delighted to see you and your companions here.”
While we were returning to the vessel I gave Thorwald, for such I found to be his name, a brief account of our journey on the moon and of my mysterious arrival on their planet. I expatiated on the merits of the doctor, and told Thorwald that he was probably still on the moon or else at the bottom of their ocean.