He uttered little guttural exclamations and tapped the desk with his finger-tips as he read, and all the time his face wore that perplexing expression of surprise.
Finally he asked: "Which is Mr.Merrick ?" Hearing his name, Uncle John bowed.
"Huh! But the description does not fit you." Captain Carg translated this.
"Why not ?" demanded Uncle John.
"It says you are short, stout, blue-eyed, bald, forty-five years of age." "Of course." "You are not short; I think you are as tall as I am.

Your eyes are not blue; they are olive green.

You are not bald, for there is still hair over your ears.

Huh! How do you explain that ?" "It's nonsense," said Uncle John scornfully.
Carg was more cautious in interpreting the remark.

He assured the colonel, in German, that the description of Mr.Merrick was considered close enough for all practical purposes.