Out of that same pocket reference book of mine came facts and figures which were seized upon and placed in right relation with unerring acumen.
Even Terry grew interested in this work.

"If we can keep this up, they'll be having us lecture to all the girls' schools and colleges--how about that ?" he suggested to us.

"Don't know as I'd object to being an Authority to such audiences." They did, in fact, urge us to give public lectures later, but not to the hearers or with the purpose we expected.
What they were doing with us was like--like--well, say like Napoleon extracting military information from a few illiterate peasants.

They knew just what to ask, and just what use to make of it; they had mechanical appliances for disseminating information almost equal to ours at home; and by the time we were led forth to lecture, our audiences had thoroughly mastered a well-arranged digest of all we had previously given to our teachers, and were prepared with such notes and questions as might have intimidated a university professor.
They were not audiences of girls, either.

It was some time before we were allowed to meet the young women.
"Do you mind telling what you intend to do with us ?" Terry burst forth one day, facing the calm and friendly Moadine with that funny half-blustering air of his.