I found an odd vesta or two in my trouser pockets and struck a light.

It was out in a second, but it showed me one thing.

There was a little stock of electric torches on one shelf.

I picked up one, and found it was in working order.
With the torch to help me I investigated further.

There were bottles and cases of queer-smelling stuffs, chemicals no doubt for experiments, and there were coils of fine copper wire and yanks and yanks of thin oiled silk.