Excepting him only, they were well-fed and substantial looking men.

Maraton had studied them carefully through half-closed eyes during all the time of their meeting, and the more he had studied them, the more disappointed he had become.

There was not one of them with the eyes of a dreamer.

There was not one of them who appeared capable of dealing with any subject save from his own absolutely material and practical point of view.
Maraton from the first had felt a seal laid upon his lips.

Now, when the time had come for him to speak, he did so with hesitation, almost with reluctance.
"As yet," he began, "there is very little for me to talk about.