passions found vent in that
tremendous, that inconceivable howl!

And its effect on those in the boat?--Well--

That morning our exploring party had resumed their voyage with somewhat
saddened hearts, for they remembered the look of the coast well, and
knew that an hour or so would bring them to the cave where the _Lapwing_
had gone down. Even Black Ned had become sentimental, and given vent to
a few expressions of a semi-religious nature!

"We can't be far from it now," said Dr Hayward, as the men ceased
rowing, and the boat glided slowly, silently along.

"It's a gruesome place," remarked Black Ned, in a low voice.

"To think that so many lives were lost here--or hereabouts," murmured
Tomlin.

"An' their ghost, maybe, hangin' about!" suggested Slag, with a
superstitious glance over his shoulder.

Just then Hayward bade O'Connor get up and stand in the bow with the
boat-hook, ready to fend off,--an order which the Irishman, having been
somewhat awed by the tone of the conversation, obeyed in silence.

It was at this point that they glided in front of the cave, and drew
forth the yell which burst upon them like a clap of thunder. The shock
to the nervous system of each was terrific. In the case of O'Connor it
was visible, for he fell flat back into the bottom of the boat and
fetched Jarring a tremendous whack on the head with the boat-hook in
falling. Afterwards, Terrence asserted stoutly that a slip of the foot
as he stood on the th'ort was the cause, but those who knew him best
held that it was "a case of nerves."

Need it be said that, on recovering nervous equilibrium, the joy of
rescuers and rescued was intense?

"Come along, let's take 'im home at wanst," cried the Irishman, when
they had got the poor dazed man into the boat. "Isn't it Peggy that'll
open her eyes an' screech for joy when she sots her eyes on ye!"

"We'll have to wash and comb an' clothe him first," said Tomlin.

He did not say "shave," for they had no razors,--and by that time the
beards of most of the party were as long as Mitford's; but their locks
had been trimmed by means of a clasp-knife super-sharpened, whereas
Mitford's were in wildest disorder.

That night they encamped in the wreck-cave, made a fire, and prepared a
splendid supper of pork and pea-soup for John and themselves, after
which they subjected their recovered comrade to a scrubbing and cropping
and repairing of habiliments that almost proved fatal to his
con