"Let's have the contents of the manuscript.

You, Melick, read; you're the most energetic of the lot, and when you're tired the rest of us will take turns." "Read?
Why, it'll take a month to read all this," said Melick.
"All the better," said Featherstone; "this calm will probably last a month, and we shall have nothing to interest us." Melick made no further objection.

He was as excited as the rest, and so he began the reading of the manuscript..