Lately, I've been wondering, now and then, whether any of you wish yourselves well out of it." For a moment no one spoke.

To shrink from expression is a characteristic in which the extremes of cultivation and mediocrity meet; the reserve of delicacy in St.George and Amory would have been a reserve of false shame in Bennietod, and of an exaggerated sense of humour in Little Cawthorne.

It was not remarkable that from the moment the enterprise had been entered upon, its perils and its doubtful outcome had not once been discussed.

St.George vaguely reckoned with this as he waited, while Amory smoked on and blew meditative clouds and regarded the bowl of his pipe, and Little Cawthorne ceased the motion of his hammock, and Bennietod hugged his knees and looked shrewdly at the moon, as if he knew more about the moon than he would care to tell.

St.George felt his heart sink a little.