The doctor merely shook his head, though his face now showed signs of uneasiness.

Harding sat down again and refilled his pipe, noticing that the stem was nearly bitten through.

He gathered from Clarke's expression that they would soon know what to expect, and he feared the worst.

Now, however, he was growing cool; his eyes were very stern, and his lips had set in an ominously determined fashion.

Benson, glancing at him once or twice, thought it boded trouble for the doctor if things went badly.