“Just fancy!” broke in Keeth, “with all their learning, they don’t know what smoking is! and they are ignorant of alcohol, except as a chemical compound, which they use in their manufactures and laboratories.” “And they’re so awfully good,” chimed in Congreve, “they know nothing about games of chance, or anything, poor beggars. “That’s soon remedied,” laughed Holt; “we’ll show them! The _Regina_ will be away getting on for a year, at least, and we can never exist so long as that without relaxation.” “No,” said Siddall, “we worked hard in coming, and we must work hard here, so as to learn as much as possible, while we have the opportunity.” “That’s all right,” responded Wadsworth, laughing grimly; “but if we manage to get off, which does not seem possible, we shall have to work harder when we get back to Earth than we have done all our lives together, and if we don’t get off and our lives are forfeit, what’s the good? I think we can afford to take things easy for awhile.” “That’s all very well, as you say,” expostulated Siddall, “but in the interests of science it is our duty to do the best we can, and we have opportunities here that we shall never have again.” “Granted!” replied Wadsworth, airily, “I’m not going to argue the matter, old man; I don’t say you’re wrong, but no amount of preaching will avail—our reputations are gone, once and for ever, and nothing is of any moment now.” “That is foolish, Wadsworth!” exclaimed Siddall, warmly; “that’s fool’s talk! we must not lose our moral strength; we have gone wrong, let it be a lesson to our profit—and considering who we are, it is indeed degrading for us so to forget our manhood and the dignity of our professions as to talk in this way. _Noblesse oblige_, remember!” This sensible speech pulled them together so much, and made several feel so ashamed, that much heated argument resulted, in which Siddall declared his determination to work and retrieve the past, and the others vowed they would have a ‘decent’ time, and enjoy themselves, showing the utter impossibility of Siddall’s working alone while they went their own course untrammelled, and again Siddall appealed to their honour and better judgment, this time to such purpose that they agreed to spend the next few days in seeing the district and then attach themselves to the various departments of learning and research to which they were severally accustomed, if the people would allow them to do so, and thus perhaps help and be helped in useful work.