CHAPTER XIVThe Presence Returns
Questioning them in a leisurely fashion, Douglas had a word with all of them on the right hand side of the observatory. This done, he left them all to their own devices and went for his usual visit, with Vera, to the underground arsenal. When they returned they found the workers lined up with their reports, waiting to be received and checked out.
Douglas took each report with a nod of thanks. When he had finally been handed the last one one of the men spoke up.
“I’d like to thank you, Dr. Ashfield, for the way you’ve been treating us. I’m speaking for all of us here. If there was the same fair-mindedness elsewhere, this plane wouldn’t be such a bad place after all.”
“The remedy is in your own hands,” Douglas answered quietly. “If you don’t like Mr. Brook
