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while we are brothers still！〃
Allan turned away quickly； convinced that his mind had not yet
recovered the shock of the fainting fit。 〃Don't forget the
whisky！〃 he said； cheerfully； as he sprang into the rigging； and
mounted to the mizzen…top。
It was past two； the moon was waning； and the darkness that comes
before dawn was beginning to gather round the wreck。 Behind
Allan； as he now stood looking out from the elevation of the
mizzen…top； spread the broad and lonely sea。 Before him were the
low； black； lurking rocks； and the broken waters of the channel；
pouring white and angry into the vast calm of the westward ocean
beyond。 On the right hand； heaved back grandly from the
water…side； were the rocks and precipices； with their little
table…lands of grass between； the sloping downs； and
upward…rolling heath solitudes of the Isle of Man。 On the left
hand rose the craggy sides of the Islet of the Calf； here rent
wildly into deep black chasms； there lying low under long
sweeping acclivities of grass and heath。 No sound rose； no light
was visible； on either shore。 The black lines of the topmost
masts of the wreck looked shadowy and faint in the darkening
mystery of the sky； the land breeze had dropped； the small
shoreward waves fell noiseless： far or near； no sound was audible
but the cheerless bubbling of the broken water ahead； pouring
through the awful hush of silence in which earth and ocean waited
for the coming day。
Even Allan's careless nature felt the solemn influence of the
time。 The sound of his own voice startled him when he looked down
and hailed his friend on deck
〃I think I see one house；〃 he said。 〃Here…away； on the mainland
to the right。〃 He looked again； to make sure； at a dim little
patch of white； with faint white lines behind it； nestling low in
a grassy hollow； on the main island。 〃It looks like a stone house
and inclosure；〃 he resumed。 〃I'll hail it； on the chance。〃 He
passed his arm round a rope to steady himself； made a
speaking…trumpet of his hands； and suddenly dropped them again
without uttering a sound。 〃It's so awfully quiet；〃 he whispered
to himself。 〃I'm half afraid to call out。〃 He looked down again
on deck。 〃I shan't startle you； Midwinter； shall I？〃 he said；
with an uneasy laugh。 He looked once more at the faint white
object； in the grassy hollow。 〃It won't do to have come up here
for nothing；〃 he thought； and made a speaking…trumpet of his
hands again。 This time he gave the hail with the whole power of
his lungs。 〃On shore there！〃 he shouted； turning his face to the
main island。 〃Ahoy…hoy…hoy！〃
The last echoes of his voice died away and were lost。 No sound
answered him but the cheerless bubbling of the broken water
ahead。
He looked down again at his friend； and saw the dark figure of
Midwinter rise erect； and pace the deck backward and forward；
never disappearing out of sight of the cabin when it retired
toward the bows of the wreck； and never passing beyond the cabin
when it returned toward the stern。 〃He is impatient to get away；〃
thought Allan； 〃I'll try again。〃 He hailed the land once more；
and； taught by previous experience； pitched his voice in its
highest key。
This time another sound than the sound of the bubbling water
answered him。 The lowing of frightened cattle rose from the
building in the grassy hollow； and traveled far and drearily
through the stillness of the morning air。 Allan waited and
listened。 If the building was a farmhouse the disturbance among
the beasts would rouse the men。 If it was only a cattle…stable；
nothing more would happen。 The lowing of the frightened brutes
rose and fell drearily； the minutes passed； and nothing happened。
〃Once more！〃 said Allan； looking down at the restless figure
pacing beneath him。 For the third time he hailed the land。 For
the third time he waited and listened。
In a pause of silence among the cattle； he heard behind him； on
the opposite shore of the channel； faint and far among the
solitudes of the Islet of the Calf； a sharp； sudden sound； like
the distant clash of a heavy
door…bolt drawn back。 Turning at once in the new direction； he
strained his eyes to look for a house。 The last faint rays of the
waning moonlight trembled here and there on the higher rocks； and
on the steeper pinnacles of ground； but great strips of darkness
lay dense and black over all the land between； and in that
darkness the house； if house there were； was lost to view。
〃I have roused somebody at last；〃 Allan called out；
encouragingly； to Midwinter； still walking to and fro on the
deck； strangely indifferent to all that was passing above and
beyond him。 〃Look out for the answering； hail！〃 And with his face
set toward the islet； Allan shouted for help。
The shout was not answered； but mimicked with a shrill； shrieking
derision； with wilder and wilder cries； rising out of the deep
distant darkness； and mingling horribly the expression of a human
voice with the sound of a brute's。 A sudden suspicion crossed
Allan's mind； which made his head swim and turned his hand cold
as it held the rigging。 In breathless silence he looked toward
the quarter from which the first mimicry of his cry for help had
come。 After a moment's pause the shrieks were renewed； and the
sound of them came nearer。 Suddenly a figure； which seemed the
figure of a man； leaped up black on a pinnacle of rock； and
capered and shrieked in the waning gleam of the moonlight。 The
screams of a terrified woman mingled with the cries of the
capering creature on the rock。 A red spark flashed out in the
darkness from a light kindled in an invisible window。 The hoarse
shouting of a man's voice in anger was heard through the noise。 A
second black figure leaped up on the rock； struggled with the
first figure； and disappeared with it in the darkness。 The cries
grew fainter and fainter； the screams of the woman were stilled；
the hoarse voice of the man was heard again for a moment； hailing
the wreck in words made unintelligible by the distance； but in
tones plainly expressive of rage and fear combined。 Another
moment； and the clang of the door…bolt was heard again； the red
spark of light was quenched in darkness； and all the islet lay
quiet in the shadows once more。 The lowing of the cattle on the
main…land ceased； rose again； stopped。 Then； cold and cheerless
as ever； the eternal bubbling of the broken water welled up
through the great gap of silencethe one sound left； as the
mysterious stillness of the hour fell like a mantle from the
heavens； and closed over the wreck。
Allan descended from his place in the mizzen…top； and joined his
friend again on deck。
〃We must wait till the ship…breakers come off to their work；〃 he
said； meeting Midwinter halfway in the course of his restless
walk。 〃After what has happened； I don't mind confessing that I've
had enough of hailing the land。 Only think of there being a
madman in that house ashore； and of my waking him！ Horrible；
wasn't it？〃
Midwinter stood still for a moment； and looked at Allan； with the
perplexed air of a man who hears circumstances familiarly
mentioned to which he is himself a total stranger。 He appeared；
if such a thing had been possible； to have passed over entirely
without notice all that had just happened on the Islet of the
Calf。
〃Nothing is horrible _out_ of this ship；〃 he said。 〃Everything is
horrible _in_ it。〃
Answering in those strange words； he turned away again； and went
on with his walk。
Allan picked up the flask of whisky lying on the deck near him；
and revived his spirits with a dram。 〃Here's one thing on board
that isn't horrible；〃 he retorted briskly； as he screwed on the
stopper of the flask； 〃and here's another；〃 he added； as he took
a cigar from his case and lit it。 〃Three o'clock！〃 he went on；
looking at his watch； and settling himself comfortably on deck
with his back against the bulwark。 〃Daybreak isn't far off； we
shall have the piping of the birds to cheer us up before long。 I
say； Midwinter； you seem to have quite got over that unlucky
fainting fit。 How you do keep walking！ Come here and have a
cigar； and make yourself comfortable。 What's the good of tramping
backward and forward in that restless way？〃
〃I am waiting；〃 said Midwinter。
〃Waiting！ What for？〃
〃For what is to happen to you or to meor to both of usbefore
we are out of this ship。〃
〃With submission to your superior judgment； my dear fellow； I
think quite enough has happened already。 The adventure will do
very well as it stands now； more of it is more than I want。〃 He
took another dram of whisky； and rambled on； between the puffs of
his cigar； in his usual easy way。 〃I've not got your fine
imagination； old boy； and I hope the next thing that happens will
be the appearance of the workmen's boat。 I suspect that queer
fancy of yours has been running away with you while you were down
here all by yourself。 Come； now； what were you thinking of while
I was up in the mizzen…top frightening the cows？〃
Midwinter suddenly stopped。 〃Suppose I tell you？〃 he said。
〃Suppose you do？〃
The torturing temptation to reveal the truth； roused once already
by his companion's merciless gayety of spirit； possessed itself