"Every man to his taste!" said M'Nicholl; "mine at present is certainly
to turn in!" and suiting the action to the word, he coiled himself on
the sofa, and in a few minutes his deep regular breathing showed his
slumber to be as tranquil as an infant's.
Barbican looked at him in a kindly way, but only for a very short time;
his eyes grew so filmy that he could not keep them open any longer. "The
Captain," he said, "may not be without his little faults, but for good
practical sense he is worth a ship-load like you and me, Ardan. By Jove,
I'm going to imitate him, and, friend Michael, you might do worse!"
In a short time he was as unconscious as the Captain.
Ardan gazed on the pair for a few minutes, and then began to feel quite
lonely. Even his animals were fast asleep. He tried to look out, but
observing without having anybody to listen to your observations, is dull
work. He looked again at the sleeping pair, and then he gave in.
"It can't be denied," he muttered, slowly nodding his head, "that even
your practical men sometimes stumble on a good idea."
Then curling up his long legs, and folding his arms under his head, his
restless brain was soon forming fantastic shapes for itself in the
mysterious land of dreams.
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