It appeared that he was an Englishman.
"I say," he asked of the drummer named Max, "I say, my friend, what place is this ?" The others roared with derision.
"We were HELD UP, sir, that's what we were.

We were held up and you slept through it all.

You missed the show of your life." The gentleman fixed the group with a prolonged gaze.

He said never a word, but little by little he was convinced that the drummers told the truth.

All at once he grew wrathful, his face purpling.