trode
gloomily forward over the beach.

The day was drawing towards noon. October was revelling in an
after-taste of summer, and smiled in broad glory over beach and sea.
A light breeze bore eastward a few fleecy clouds, and the waves
danced and murmured before its breath. Their salt scent was in
our nostrils, and the glitter of the sand in our eyes. Black and
sombre in the clear air, Dead Man's Rock rose in gloomy isolation
from the sea, while the sea-birds swept in glistening circles round
its summit. But what was that at its base?

Seemingly, a little knot of men stood at the water's edge. As we
drew nearer I could distinguish their forms but not their occupation,
for they stood in a circle, intent on some object in their midst
concealed from our view. Presently, however, they fell into a rough
line as though making for the archway to Ready-Money Cove. Something
they carried among them, and continually stooped over; but what it
was I could not see. Their pace was very slow, but they turned into
the arch and were disappearing, when I caught sight of the uncouth
little figure of Joe Roscorla among the last, and ran forward,
hailing him by name.

At the sound of my voice Joe started, turned round and made a slow
pause; then, with a few words to his neighbour, came quickly towards
me. As he drew near, I saw that his face was white and his manner
full of embarrassment; but he put on a smile, and spoke first--

"Why, Jasper, what be doin' along here?"

"I'm going home. Has Uncle Loveday seen mother? And is she better?"

"Aw iss, he've a seen her an' she be quieter: leastways, he be bound
to do her a power o' good. But what be goin' back for? 'Tain't no
use botherin' indoors wi' your mother in thicky wisht state.
Run about an' get some play."

"What were you doing down by the Rock just now, Joe?"

Joe hesitated for a while; stammered, and then said, "Nuthin."

"But, Joe, you were doing something: what were you carrying over to
Ready-Money?"

"Look-ee here, my lad, run an' play, an' doan't ax no questions.
'Tain't for little boys to ax questions. Now I comes to think of it,
Doctor said as you was to stay over to Lizard Town, 'cos there ain't
no need of a passel of boys in a sick house: so run along back."

Joe's voice had a curious break in it, and his whole bearing was so
unaccountable that I did not wonder when Tom quietly said--

"Joe, you're telling lies."

Now Joe was, in an ordinary way, t