`Isthatyou，Mitchell?\'hemadeanswer，surlily。`Istruckmyforeheadagainstthisconfoundedwallwithenoughforcetofellanox。Whereareyou?\'
CaptainMitchell，accustomedtothedarkness，couldmakeoutthedoctorstretchingouthishandsblindly。
`Iamsittinghereonthefloor。Don\'tfallovermylegs，\'CaptainMitchell\'svoiceannouncedwithgreatdignityoftone。Thedoctor，entreatednottowalkaboutinthedark，sankdowntotheground，too。ThetwoprisonersofSotillo，withtheirheadsnearlytouching，begantoexchangeconfidences。
`Yes，\'thedoctorrelatedinalowtonetoCaptainMitchell\'svehementcuriosity，`wehavebeennabbedinoldViola\'splace。Itseemsthatoneoftheirpickets，commandedbyanofficer，pushedasfarasthetowngate。
Theyhadordersnottoenter，buttobringalongeverysoultheycouldfindontheplain。Wehadbeentalkingintherewiththedooropen，andnodoubttheysawtheglimmerofourlight。Theymusthavebeenmakingtheirapproachesforsometime。Theengineerlaidhimselfonabenchinarecessbythefireplace，andIwentupstairstohavealook。Ihadn\'theardanysoundfromthereforalongtime。OldViola，assoonashesawmecomeup，liftedhisarmforsilence。Istoleinontiptoe。ByJove，hiswifewaslyingdownandhadgonetosleep。Thewomanhadactuallydroppedofftosleep！“SenorDoctor，“Violawhisperstome，“itlooksasifheroppressionwasgoingtogetbetter。”“Yes，“Isaid，verymuchsurprised；