I cud git to 'ee, and I
axed the man ef he knawed anything 'bout the 'ouse. After a bit he tould
me that there was a sacret passage a-goin' from the cliff to the room
where the winder was. Tha's 'ow 'twas. I'll tell 'ee more zoon. There he
es, look."

I saw something dark moving on the water, and presently discerned a man
in a boat.

Eli whistled again, and the whistle was answered.

"How did you get from the sea up here?" I asked.

"I climbed up, Maaster Jasper, but I can't go down that way."

The boat came nearer.

"Es et saafe to plunge?" shouted Eli.

"Yes," was the reply underneath.

"No rocks?"

"Dive as far out to sea as you can, and you'll go into twenty feet of
water."

"All right," shouted Eli, then turning to me, he said, "I'll dive first,
Maaster Jasper."

"Can you swim?" I asked.

"Swem!" he sneered; "ed'n my mawther a witch?"

He plunged into the sea, and I heard the splash of his body as it fell
into the water, then I saw him get into the boat, which was rocked to
and fro with the great waves.

"All right," I heard a voice from beneath say, "now then!"

I gathered myself together for the dive, and I think my heart failed me.
My strength seemed to have entirely left me, and it looked an awful
distance between me and the frothy waves beneath. Besides, might I not
strike against a rock? Then I think my senses left me, although I am not
sure. It seemed as though the sea became calm, and a great silence fell
upon everything. After that I heard a voice which seemed like Naomi's.

"Help, Jasper!" it said.

Then all fear, all hesitation left me, and I plunged into the sea
beneath. I felt my body cutting the air, then an icy feeling gripped me
as I sunk in the waters. When I rose to the surface I saw the boat a few
yards from me rising on the crest of a wave.

I could hear nothing, however, save a roar which seemed like ten
thousand thunders. I struck out boldly for the boat, but Eli and the
other man seemed to mock me with jeering menaces. I struggled hard and
long, but the boat seemed to get no nearer, and presently I thought I
heard unearthly laughter above the wild roar of the breakers.

"Ha, ha," I thought I heard them saying, "now we've got you; this is
Granfer Fraddam's phantom boat, this is. Swim, Jasper Pennington, swim!"

I tried to swim, but my legs seemed to be weighted, while around me
floated thousands of hideous jabbering things which I thought tried to
lure me on to the r