r path, the beast-boy. There could be no mistake.
He was just as she had heard him described by the children at the
gamekeeper's cottage. That was his hair sticking all out from his
head, though the sun in it made it look like a crown of gold or a
shining mist. Those were his bare arms, and that was dreadful
indeed! Bare legs and feet she was used to; but bare arms! Worst
of all, making it absolutely certain he was the beast-boy, he was
playing upon a curious kind of whistling thing, making dreadfully
sweet music to entice her nearer that he might catch her and tear
her to pieces! Was this the answer God sent to the prayer she had
offered in her sore need--the beast-boy? She asked him for
protection and deliverance, and here was the beast-boy! She asked
him to help her home, and there, right in the middle of her path,
sat the beast-boy, waiting for her! Well, it was just like what
they said about him on Sundays in the churches, and in the books
Miss Machar made her read! But the horrid creature's music should
not have any power over her! She would rather run down to the black
water, glooming in those holes, and be drowned, than the beast-boy
should have her to eat!

Most girls would have screamed, but such was not Ginny's natural
mode of meeting a difficulty. With fear, she was far more likely to
choke than to cry out. So she sat down again and stared at him.
Perhaps he would go away when he found he could not entice her. He
did not move, but kept playing on his curious instrument. Perhaps,
by returning into the hollow, she could make a circuit, and so pass
him, lower down the hill. She rose at once and ran.

Now Gibbie had seen her long before she saw him, but, from
experience, was afraid of frightening her. He had therefore drawn
gradually near, and sat as if unaware of her presence. Treating her
as he would a bird with which he wanted to make better acquaintance,
he would have her get accustomed to the look of him before he made
advances. But when he saw her run in the direction of the swamp,
knowing what a dangerous place it was, he was terrified, sprung to
his feet, and darted off to get between her and the danger. She
heard him coming like the wind at her back, and, whether from
bewilderment, or that she did intend throwing herself into the water
to escape him, instead of pursuing her former design, she made
straight for the swamp. But was the beast-boy ubiquitous? As she
approached the pl