escape, and that as soon as his strength should be recovered and he
could obtain some knowledge of the country, and he meant to take no one
into his counsel, not the Muggletonian, whose own attempts had ended so
disastrously, nor the 'man who gave good advice.' As to this midnight
expedition he was largely indifferent. But it was something to escape
from the stifling atmosphere of the cabin where he had tossed from side
to side, listening to the heavy breathing of the convict Turk and
peasant lad with whom he was quartered, to the silver peace of
moon-flooded marsh and lapping water.

They made another turn, and in front of them shone out a light, gleaming
dully like a will-of-the-wisp. It looked close at hand, but the creek
turned upon itself, coiled and writhed through the marsh, and trebled
the distance.

The Muggletonian rested on his oar, and turned to Landless.

"Yonder is our bourne," he said gravely. "But I have a word to say to
you, friend, before we reach it. If, to curry favor with the
uncircumcised Philistines who set themselves over us, thou speakest of
aught thou mayest see or hear there to-night, may the Lord wither thy
tongue within thy mouth, may he smite thee with blindness, may he bring
thee quick into the pit! And if not the Lord, then will I, Win-Grace
Porringer, rise and smite thee!"

"You may spare your invectives," said Landless coldly. "I am no
traitor."

"Nay, friend," said the other in a milder tone. "I thought it not of
thee, or I had not brought thee thither."

He shoved the nose of the boat into the shore, and caught at a stake,
rising, water-soaked and rotten, from below the bank. Landless threw him
the looped end of a rope, and together they made the boat fast, then
scrambled up the three feet of fat, sliding earth to the level above
where the ground was dry, none but the highest of tides ever reaching
it. Fifty yards away rose a low hut. It stood close to another bend in
the creek, and before it were several boats, tied to stakes, and softly
rubbing their sides together. The hut had no window, but there were
interstices between the logs through which the light gleamed redly.

When the two men had reached it, the Muggletonian knocked upon the heavy
door, after a peculiar fashion, striking it four times in all. There was
a shuffling sound within, and (Landless thought) two voices ceased
speaking. Then some one said in a low voice and close to the door: "Who
is it?"

"The sword