"We had better have a drink and go back to bed," I observed, "unless you'd like to stroll round the island and admire the beauty of the dawn."
As I spoke I moved towards the French window, and at the same moment a huge black shape loomed up on to the verandah outside.
"Hullo!" I added. "Here's somebody else come to see what the matter is. Quite a family party, isn't it?"
I unbolted and opened the window, and, waving his tail in a kind of dignified acknowledgment, Satan strolled slowly into the room. He pulled up short on seeing Manning; then, apparently satisfied that as long as I was present things must be more or less in order, he proceeded to seat himself very deliberately right in the middle of the hearthrug.
I refastened the bolt and turned back to my guest.
"He always sits there," I said. "I suppose my uncle taught him to originally, and now he thinks it belongs to him. We shall find him in exactly the same place when we come down to breakfast."
Manning, who had been watching the dog's proceedings with a curious intentness, rose slowly to his feet.
"I don't think I'll have a drink," he remarked. "It's a little early and I haven't got your cast-iron constitution. Bed seems to me the best notion. I've a sort of feeling that after I've finished this cigarette I shall be able to put in a couple of hours' sleep."
"Well, as I told you before, take it easy," I replied. "The eggs and bacon will keep till we're ready for them."
We set off up the staircase, and, pausing for a moment in the passage, Manning once more expressed his apologies.