, gathering in intensity as the time wore on.

Then came a variation. Mark Penelly was the creature that was trying to
drown him; and as he dragged him down and down, lower and lower, into
the depths, he kept telling him that it was because he was such a
terrible coward, but that if he would dive off Carn Du into a ninth wave
he would let him live.

This went on till it grew unbearable, so, leaping out of bed, Harry went
to the window, drew up the blind, and threw open the casement, to lean
out and gaze at the grey sea, that looked so dark in the early dawn of
morning.

It was as smooth as a pond, except where, with a low moan, it heaved up
and beat against Carn Du, falling back with an angry hiss as if of
disappointment, while all above looked calm and dark and starlit.

Away to the east, though, there was a faint light, telling of the coming
day; and as Harry Paul stood there, with the soft fresh morning breeze
blowing in his hair, he made up his mind that he would go and fish for
three or four hours before breakfast, as he could not sleep.

A good wash made him feel fresher. Then dressing, he took a couple of
lines from a cupboard down-stairs, and went out.

He had no difficulty in getting half-a-dozen damaged mackerel down in
the harbour--fish that had been torn by the nets; but he was only just
in time, for in the soft grey light he could see the gulls already busy
floating down on their ghostly-looking wings in the gloom, uttering a
mournful, peevish wail, and carrying off fragments of fish for their
morning meal.

"Another ten minutes, and there would not have been one left," muttered
Harry, as he strode along the rock-strewn shore to where his boat was
drawn up high and dry. He, however, soon had her afloat, and, taking
one of the oars, he stood up in the stern and sculled her out with that
peculiar fish-tail motion which is so puzzling to one not used to the
custom.

Half an hour's sculling took him out to a great buoy close by some
sunken rocks; and having made fast his boat to the rusty,
barnacle-encrusted ring, he proceeded to bait his lines, and lowered
down the leads into the deep water below.

"What's it to be this morning?" he said. "They ought to bite on such a
tide as this."

He held one line in his hand, twisted the other round one of the
thole-pins of the boat, and then sat waiting. There was black Carn Du
right in front, with the waters rising up dark and glistening, to fall
back f