a strange and novel idea. “It sounds most astonishing.”
“Don’t it? Extraordinary, I call it. Never heard tell of invisible men before, I haven’t, but nowadays one hears such a lot of extraordinary things—that—”
“That all he did?” asked Marvel, trying to seem at his ease.
“It’s enough, ain’t it?” said the mariner.
“Didn’t go back by any chance?” asked Marvel. “Just escaped and that’s all, eh?”
“All!” said the mariner. “Why!—ain’t it enough?”
“Quite enough,” said Marvel.
“I should think it was enough,” said the mariner. “I should think it was enough.”
“He didn’t have any pals—it don’t say he had any pals, does it?” asked Mr. Marvel, anxious.
“Ain’t one of a sort enough for you?” asked the mariner. “No, thank heaven, as one might say, he didn’t.”
He nodded his head slowly. “It makes me regular uncomfortable, the bare thought of that chap running about the country! He is at present at large, and from certain evidence it is supposed that he has—taken— took , I suppose they mean—the road to Port Stowe . You see we’re right in it! None of your American wonders, this time. And just think of the things he might do! Where’d you be, if he took a drop over and above, and had a fancy to go for you? Suppose he wants to rob—who can prevent him? He can trespass, he can burgle, he could walk through a cordon of policemen as easy as me or you could give the slip to a blind man! Easier!