"Only a little stiff, that's all." "Same here," declared Cabot, industriously rubbing his legs to restore their circulation.

"I was rapidly turning into a human icicle, though, when our big friend dropped down from the sky in a chariot of flame and gave those Indian beggars such a scare that I don't suppose they've stopped running yet.

But how did you happen to let 'em aboard, old man?
Couldn't you stand them off with a gun ?" For answer White gave a full account of all that had taken place, so far as he knew, and in return Cabot described his own exciting experiences, while the stranger listened attentively, but in silence, to both narratives.

When Cabot came to the end of his own story, he said: "Now, sir, won't you please tell us how you happened to find us out and come to our rescue just in the nick of time?
I should also very much like to know how you managed to tumble down that precipice unharmed, as well as how you produced those flashes of light that scared the savages so badly--me too, for that matter." For answer the stranger only smiled gravely, pointed to his lips, and shook his head.
"Oh!" exclaimed both Cabot and White, shocked by this intimation, and the former said: "I beg your pardon, sir.

While I noticed that you didn't do much talking, it never occurred to me that you were dumb.