As if he had become aware that Sutton had seen him, the man stirred, turning his face toward him. And although it was too dark to see his features, Sutton knew that the man in the chair was Case.
Then, he thought, the man who snores is Pringle, although he knew that it made no difference which it was that snored.
"So, Mr. Sutton," Case said, slowly, "you decided to go out and try to find our ship."
"Yes," Sutton said, "I did."
"Now, that is fine," said Case. "That is the way I like a man to speak up and say what's on his mind." He sighed. "You meet so many devious persons," he said. "So many people who try to lie to you. So many people who tell you half-truths and feel, while they're doing it, that they are being clever."
He rose out of the chair, tall and straight and prim.
"Mr. Sutton," he said, "I like you very much."
Sutton felt the absurdity of the situation, but there was a coldness and a half-anger in him that told him this was no laughing matter.
Footsteps padded softly down the stairs behind him and Pringle's voice whispered through the room.
"So he decided to make a try for it."