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In a moment Allan was at his side。 He looked uselessly round the
lonely limits of the wreck； as he lifted Midwinter's head on his
knee； for a chance of help； where all chance was ruthlessly cut
off。 〃What am I to do？〃 he said to himself； in the first impulse
of alarm。 〃Not a drop of water near； but the foul water in the
cabin。〃 A sudden recollection crossed his memory； the florid
color rushed back over his face； and he drew from his pocket a
wicker…covered flask。 〃God bless the doctor for giving me this
before we sailed！〃 he broke out； fervently； as he poured down
Midwinter's throat some drops of the raw whisky which the flask
contained。 The stimulant acted instantly on the sensitive system
of the swooning man。 He sighed faintly； and slowly opened his
eyes。 〃Have I been dreaming？〃 he asked； looking up vacantly in
Allan's face。 His eyes wandered higher； and encountered the
dismantled masts of the wreck rising weird and black against the
night sky。 He shuddered at the sight of them； and hid his face on
Allan's knee。 〃No dream！〃 he murmured to himself； mournfully。 〃Oh
me； no dream！〃
〃You hare been overtired all day；〃 said Allan； 〃and this infernal
adventure of ours has upset you。 Take some more whisky； it's sure
to do you good。 Can you sit by yourself； if I put you against the
bulwark； so？〃
〃Why by myself？ Why do you leave me？〃 asked Midwinter。
Allan pointed to the mizzen shrouds of the wreck； which were
still left standing。 〃You are not well enough to rough it here
till the workmen come off in the morning；〃 he said。 〃We must find
our way on shore at once； if we can。 I am going up to get a good
view all round； and see if there's a house within hail of us。〃
Even in the moment that passed while those few words were spoken；
Midwinter's eyes wandered back distrustfully to the fatal cabin
door。 〃Don't go near it！〃 he whispered。 〃Don't try to open it；
for God's sake！〃
〃No； no；〃 returned Allan； humoring him。 〃When I come down from
the rigging； I'll come back here。〃 He said the words a little
constrainedly； noticing； for the first time while he now spoke；
an underlying distress in Midwinter's face； which grieved and
perplexed him。 〃You're not angry with me？〃 he said； in his
simple； sweet…tempered way。 〃All this is my fault； I know； and I
was a brute and a fool to laugh at you； when I ought to have seen
you were ill。 I am so sorry； Midwinter。 Don't be angry with me！〃
Midwinter slowly raised his head。 His eyes rested with a mournful
interest； long and tender； on Allan's anxious face。
〃Angry？〃 he repeated； in his lowest； gentlest tones。 〃Angry with
_ you？_Oh； my poor boy； were you to blame for being kind to me
when I was ill in the old west…country inn？ And was I to blame
for feeling your kindness thankfully？ Was it our fault that we
never doubted each other； and never knew that we were traveling
together blindfold on the way that was to lead us here？ The cruel
time is coming； Allan； when we shall rue the day we ever met。
Shake hands； brother； on the edge of the precipiceshake hands
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；