I don't want to sound at all panicky," I said, "but I think I ought
to warn you that our experiences at the particular spot we are going
to have--well, shall we say they have provided a striking contrast
from the routine of our daily life?"

"I'm not at all afraid of the river, Mr. Ewart," he replied lightly.
"I should be the last person to doubt the statements of yourself and
Miss McLeod and the General, but I am inclined to think the river has
no active part in the proceedings."

"You hold the view that it was the merest coincidence that Miss McLeod
and the General both had terrible and strange experiences at the same
spot?" asked Dennis.

"It seems to be the only sensible view to hold," Hilderman declared
emphatically. "I must say I think Miss McLeod's blindness might have
happened in her own room or anywhere else, and the General's strange
experience seems to me to be the delusion of overwrought nerves. I
confess there is only one thing I don't understand, and that is the
disappearance of the dog. That's got me beaten, unless it was that
crofter."

"We intend to go to the Saddle to-morrow and make a few
investigations. I was going by myself," I added cautiously, "but I
think I can persuade Burnham to stay and go with me."

"I certainly should stay for that, Mr. Burnham," Hilderman advised.
"One more day can't make much difference."

"I'll think it over," said Dennis, careful not to commit himself
rashly.

We came to the Dead Man's Pool, and crossed over the river, and began
to walk up the other side.

"This is about the right time for a manifestation of the mystery," I
remarked lightly, though I was far from laughing about the whole
thing.

"Well," said Hilderman, "if we are to see the green flash in operation
I hope it will be in a gentle mood, and not pull our teeth out one by
one or anything of that sort." Evidently he had little sympathy with
our fear of the green ray and the awe with which we approached the
neighbourhood of the river.

"Are we going to the right place?" Dennis asked. "I mean the identical
spot?"

"That lozenge-shaped thing up there is the Chemist's Rock," I replied,
"and the other important place is Dead Man's Pool, which we have just
left."

"Miss McLeod went blind on the Chemist's Rock, didn't she?" Dennis
inquired.

"Yes," I replied, with a shudder. "She was fishing from it."

"Then suppose we go back to the pool," he suggested. We agreed readily
enough, for I had no des