cave of Steenfoll, consists of a long underground passage opening on
the sea, with two entrances, and permitting a free passage of the waves
that were continually foaming through them with a loud roar. This cave
could be entered only from one place--through a fissure from above,
that was but seldom approached except by venturesome boys, as in
addition to the natural dangers of the spot, the cavern was reported to
be haunted. Falcon let himself down through this opening with some
difficulty, for about twelve feet, and took a seat on a projecting
piece of rock beneath an overhanging ledge, where, with the roaring
waves beneath his feet and the raging storm above his head, he fell
into his usual train of thought about the wrecked ship and what kind of
a ship it might have been; for in spite of all his inquiries, he could
not obtain any information of a vessel having been wrecked on this
spot, even from the oldest inhabitants. How long he sat thus he did not
know himself; but when he finally awoke from his reveries, he found
that the storm was over, and he was about to clamber up again, when a
voice from out of the depths pronounced the word "_Car-milhan_" very
distinctly. He climbed up to the top again, and looked down into the
abyss once more in great terror. "Great Heavens!" exclaimed he, "that
is the word that disturbs my sleep! What does it mean?" "_Carmilhan!_"
was the sighing response that came once more from the cave; and he fled
to his hut like a frightened deer.

Falcon was no coward; his fright was more from surprise than fear; and,
more than this, the greed for gold was too powerful in him to allow of
his being easily driven from his dangerous path. Once, as he was
fishing with his scoop for treasure by moonlight, opposite the cave of
Steenfoll, his scoop caught on something. He pulled with all his
strength, but the mass was immovable. In the meantime the wind had
risen, dark clouds overcast the sky, the boat rocked and threatened to
turn over; but Falcon did not lose his presence of mind; he pulled and
pulled at his scoop until the resistance ceased, and as he felt no
weight he concluded that his rope had broken. But just as the clouds
were about to obscure the moon's light, a round, black mass appeared on
the surface of the water, and the word that haunted him, "_Carmilhan_,"
was spoken. He made a quick effort to seize the object; but as soon as
he stretched out his arm it disappeared in the darkness, and the c