"Anything you can think of," Bartholomew replied in his politest, gentlest tone, to the girl. He watched as she turned and left, perplexed and concerned by the sudden change in demeanour compared to her arrival. "I say."

What did he say on the subject? Nothing more than that for now. Bartholomew Henry might have, another day, but there were some more, fairly unfortunate and pressing matters at hand tentacle. Speaking of which, he closed his own tentacle around the proffered phial and started to glide back out of the shallows. "Thank you as well, young man. All of you."

Yes, yes, this was all very much a relief. Bartholomew did not doubt that action would be taken, action beyond his own capabilities. Not that he still didn't have his part to play. "I shall return and deliver your water sample post haste." Perhaps he ought to spend more time surface level in the days and weeks to come, until the problem was resolved. For the time being, he'd be delving back into the depths.