He saw now the spare face, clean shaven, and the hard eyes, set close together, that he remembered so well.
Robert did not know what to do.

He listened for a little while to Grosvenor's narrative but his attention wandered back to the seafaring man.

Then he decided.
"Will you fellows talk on and excuse me for a few minutes ?" he said.
"What is it, Lennox ?" asked Colden.
"I see an acquaintance on the other side of the room.

I wish to speak to him." "That being the case, we'll let you go, but we'll miss you.

Hurry back." "I'll stay only a few minutes.