It did not look very inviting. There were no knives, no forks, no napkins and no plates. None of the somewhat limited comforts of the airship were to be had. But the captives were too hungry to mind such things. Using their fingers, they ate ravenously, and found the meat very good, though they did not know what it was.
"I feel much better," said Jack. "If I only had some place to wash my hands now, I'd be quite satisfied."
"You ought to be thankful you got something to eat," returned Mark. "I was almost starved."
"Dat was as good as roast beef, chicken, pork-chops, cranberry sauce, celery an' potatoes," observed Washington with a sigh of satisfaction.
Since the native women had brought them food no one in the cave had taken the slightest notice of the prisoners. The men in the centre about the big stone lamp sat like so many dark and graven images, saying not a word.
"I wonder what is next on the program?" asked Andy.
In a few minutes an old woman, bearing a stone basin full of some liquid, and a horn cup, approached them, and, filling the smaller vessel, offered the old professor something to drink. As she neared him she caught sight of his white face and long whitish beard and hair, and gave such a start that she nearly dropped the basin she was carrying. She peered down into the old man's face and muttered something that sounded like:
"Ingliss!"
"What has she got and what is she saying?" asked the hunter.
"I don't know what she said," replied Amos Henderson, "but she has given me some good milk."