In fact, he is saying his prayers in the corner, looking like a melancholy brigand with rifles, revolvers, and knives stuck all over him.

I wish he wouldn't say his prayers," added Higgs, and his voice reached me in an indignant squeak; "it makes me feel uncomfortable, as though I ought to join him.

But not having been brought up a Dissenter or a Moslem, I can't pray in public as he does.
Hullo! Wait a minute, will you ?" Then followed a longish pause, and after it Higgs's voice again.
"It's all right," it said.

"Only one of Maqueda's ladies who had heard us and come to see who we were.

When she learns I expect she will join us here, as the girl says she's nervous and can't sleep." Higgs proved right in his anticipations, for in about ten minutes we were rung up again, this time by Maqueda herself, whereon I handed the receiver to Oliver and retired to the other end of the room.
Nor, to tell the truth, was I sorry for the interruption, since it cheered up Oliver and helped to pass the time.
The next thing worth telling that happened was that, an hour or more later, Japhet arrived, looking very frightened.