“The only thing which I observed,” said Summerlee with a sour smile, “was that our young friend here has not improved in his manners during the years that have passed.  I am sorry to state that I have had to seriously complain of his conduct in the train, and I should be wanting in frankness if I did not say that it has left a most unpleasant impression in my mind.”

“Well, well, we all get a bit prosy sometimes,” said Lord John.  “The young fellah meant no real harm.  After all, he’s an International, so if he takes half an hour to describe a game of football he has more right to do it than most folk.”

“Half an hour to describe a game!” I cried indignantly.  “Why, it was you that took half an hour with some long-winded story about a buffalo.  Professor Summerlee will be my witness.”

“I can hardly judge which of you was the most utterly wearisome,” said Summerlee.  “I declare to you, Challenger, that I never wish to hear of football or of buffaloes so long as I live.”

“I have never said one word to-day about football,” I protested.

Lord John gave a shrill whistle, and Summerlee shook his head sadly.

“So early in the day too,” said he.  “It is indeed deplorable.  As I sat there in sad but thoughtful silence——­”

“In silence!” cried Lord John.  “Why, you were doin’ a music-hall turn of imitations all the way—­more like a runaway gramophone than a man.”

Summerlee drew himself up in bitter protest.

“You are pleased to be facetious, Lord John,” said he with a face of vinegar.

“Why, dash it all, this is clear madness,” cried Lord John.  “Each of us seems to know what the others did and none of us knows what he did himself.  Let’s put it all together from the first.  We got into a first-class smoker, that’s clear, ain’t it?  Then we began to quarrel over friend Challenger’s letter in the Times.”

“Oh, you did, did you?” rumbled our host, his eyelids beginning to droop.

“You said, Summerlee, that there was no possible truth in his contention.”

“Dear me!” said Challenger, puffing out his chest and stroking his beard.  “No possible truth!  I seem to have heard the words before.  And may I ask with what arguments the great and famous Professor Summerlee proceeded to demolish the humble individual who had ventured to express an opinion upon a matter of scientific possibility?  Perhaps before he exterminates that unfortunate nonentity he will condescend to give some reasons for the adverse views which he has formed.”

He bowed and shrugged and spread open his hands as he spoke with his elaborate and elephantine sarcasm.

“The reason was simple enough,” said the dogged Summerlee.  “I contended that if the ether surrounding the earth was so toxic in one quarter that it produced dangerous symptoms, it was hardly likely that we three in the railway carriage should be entirely unaffected.”