"How long had you been asleep?"
"What makes you ask that?" the other whined. "I don't know."
"It was a long time?"
Blackburn's voice rose complainingly.
"How did you guess that? I never slept so. I dozed nearly three days, but
I'm tired now—tired as if I hadn't slept at all."
Paredes made a gesture of surrender. Bobby struggled against the purpose of the man's questions, against the suggestion of his grandfather's unexpected answers.
"Your idea is madness, Carlos," he whispered.
"This house is filled with it," Paredes said. "I wish Groom were here.
Groom ought to be here."
"He's coming back," Bobby told him. "He shouldn't be long now. He said before dinner time."
Paredes stirred.