neeled down and prayed, the
tears running over his face; and lastly he rose and kissed the cold wall
of the cave; at the door he saw the gull that had been with him so oft,
and he scattered some crumbs for it, and while the bird fell to picking
the crumbs, David descended the rock swiftly, not having the heart to
look about him; and then he put his things in the boat, and rowed
swiftly and silently to the shore, looking back at the great rocks,
which stood up all bright and clear in the fresh light of the dawn, with
the waves breaking softly at their feet.

David had no fixed plan in his mind, as he rowed across to the land. He
only thought that it was right for him to return, and to take up his
part in the old life again. He did not dare to look before him, but
simply put, as it were, his hand in the hand of God, and hoped to be led
forward. He was soon at the shore, and he pulled his boat up on the
land, and left it lying in a little cave that opened upon the beach;
then he shouldered his pack, and went slowly, with even strides, across
the hill and down to the village. He met no one on the way, and the
street seemed deserted. He made his way to the house of the old woman
who was his friend; he put his small pack at the door and entered. The
little house was quite silent. But he heard a sound of weeping; when he
came into the outer room, he saw the maiden sitting in a chair with her
face bowed on the table. He called to her by name; she lifted her head
and looked at him for a moment and then rose up and came to him, as a
child comes to be comforted. He saw at once that some grievous thing had
happened; and presently with sobs and tears she told him that her
grandmother had died a few days before, that she had been that day
buried, and that she knew not what she was to do; there seemed more
behind; and David at last made out that she was asked in marriage by a
young fisherman whom she did not love, and she knew not how else to
live. And then he said that he was come back and would not depart from
her, and that she should be a daughter to him.

Now of the rest of the life of David I must not here speak; he lived in
the village, and he did his part; a little chapel was built in the place
with the money of the pirates; and David went in and out among the folk
of the place, and drew many to the love of God; he went once back to the
cave, but he abode not long there; but of one thing I will tell, and
that is of a piece of