You could draw circles round the whole lot of them, and they'd never stray outside." ("You can kill a hen by doing that"), Hewet murmured.
"Mr.Hughling Elliot, Mrs.Hughling Elliot, Miss Allan, Mr.and Mrs.
Thornbury--one circle," Hirst continued.

"Miss Warrington, Mr.Arthur Venning, Mr.Perrott, Evelyn M.another circle; then there are a whole lot of natives; finally ourselves." "Are we all alone in our circle ?" asked Hewet.
"Quite alone," said Hirst.

"You try to get out, but you can't.

You only make a mess of things by trying." "I'm not a hen in a circle," said Hewet.

"I'm a dove on a tree-top." "I wonder if this is what they call an ingrowing toe-nail ?" said Hirst, examining the big toe on his left foot.
"I flit from branch to branch," continued Hewet.