went briskly down to meet them, and greeted them with
his accustomed cheerfulness. "And what may I do for you?" he said. Old
Master Grimston made a sort of gesture with his head as though his
wife should speak; and she said in a low and somewhat husky voice,
with a rapid utterance, "We have a matter, Father, we would ask you
about--are you at leisure?" Father Thomas said, "Ay, I am ashamed to
be not more busy! Let us go within the house." They did so; and even
in the little distance to the door, the Father thought that his
visitors behaved themselves very strangely. They peered round from
left to right, and once or twice Master Grimston looked sharply behind
them, as though they were followed. They said nothing but "Ay" and
"No" to the Father's talk, and bore themselves like people with a sore
fear on their backs. Father Thomas made up his mind that it was some
question of money, for nothing else was wont to move Master Grimston's
mind. So he had them into his parlour and gave them seats, and then
there was a silence, while the two men continued to look furtively
about them, and the goodwife sate with her eyes upon the priest's
face. Father Thomas knew not what to make of this, till Master
Grimston said harshly, "Come, wife, tell the tale and make an end; we
must not take up the Father's time."

"I hardly know how to say it, Father," said Bridget, "but a strange
and evil thing has befallen us; there is something come to our house,
and we know not what it is--but it brings a fear with it." A sudden
paleness came over her face, and she stopped, and the three exchanged
a glance in which terror was visibly written. Master Grimston looked
over his shoulder swiftly, and made as though to speak, yet only
swallowed in his throat; but Henry said suddenly, in a loud and woeful
voice: "It is an evil beast out of the sea." And then there followed a
dreadful silence, while Father Thomas felt a sudden fear leap up in
his heart, at the contagion of the fear that he saw written on the
faces round him. But he said with all the cheerfulness he could
muster, "Come, friends, let us not begin to talk of sea-beasts; we
must have the whole tale. Mistress Grimston, I must hear the story--be
content--nothing can touch us here." The three seemed to draw a faint
content from his words, and Bridget began:--

"It was the day of the wreck, Father. John was up betimes, before the
dawn; he walked out early to the sands, and Henry with him--and they