spoke down the tube, though the words were not clear.

"Who is that?" asked Turnbull, trembling with excitement, yet
wary and quite resolved not to spoil any chance.

After a few indistinct sounds the voice came down with a strong
Argyllshire accent:

"I say, Turnbull, we couldn't fight through this tube, could we?"

Sentiments beyond speech surged up in Turnbull and silenced him
for a space just long enough to be painful. Then he said with his
old gaiety: "I vote we talk a little first; I don't want to
murder the first man I have met for ten million years."

"I know what you mean," answered the other. "It has been awful.
For a mortal month I have been alone with God."

Turnbull started, and it was on the tip of his tongue to answer:
"Alone with God! Then you do not know what loneliness is."

But he answered, after all, in his old defiant style: "Alone with
God, were you? And I suppose you found his Majesty's society
rather monotonous?"

"Oh, no," said MacIan, and his voice shuddered; "it was a great
deal too exciting."

After a very long silence the voice of MacIan said: "What do you
really hate most in your place?"