Only these people are not microbes nor are they minerals.

Also, experience tells us that they could not have lived for more than a few months at the outside in such circumstances as we seemed to find them." "Then what do you suggest ?" "I suggest that we did not really find them at all; that we have all been dreaming.

You know that there are certain gases which produce illusions, laughing gas is one of them, and that these gases are sometimes met with in caves.

Now there were very peculiar odours in that place under the statue, which may have worked upon our imaginations in some such way.

Otherwise we are up against a miracle, and, as you know, I do not believe in miracles." "I do," said Bastin calmly.