e, "Ef I knew that was some o' Gray's work, I'd
jes' like the fun o' bringin' the ole chap down here on the 'Gull,'
an' lettin' him loose to browse on the rocks,--jes' to see how _he'd_
like it!"

Noll walked briskly, trying to keep up good heart by whistling and
humming snatches of tunes, looking back over his shoulder at the
wonderful gleaming of the west, and the queer picture which the
fish-huts and the group of idlers made, with the "Gull" lying by the
little wharf, her cloud of canvas yet unfurled and its shadow gleaming
white as ivory in the depth of water on which she floated. At his feet
the tide was murmuring. How far and vast stretched the sea! What a
minute atom of earth was Culm Rock, compared with the boundless waste
of waves which compassed it about! Bending over all, the evening sky
lay cool and serene, flushed, where it met the water, with lovely
stains of color. Noll was but dimly conscious of these things as he
hurried on, because his heart was filled with conjectures about the
stone house and the friend he was to find there. The disappointment of
not finding his uncle awaiting him with a warm greeting still lay
heavily on his heart; and as he passed the curve of the shore, and the
stone house came in sight, his quick pace slackened, and he walked but
slowly.

There was no one visible on the piazza. All the doors and windows were
closed, though the evening was warm and mild.

The boy wondered if his uncle was absent. Perhaps, he thought, with a
little thrill of pleasure, that, after all, was the reason why Uncle
Richard had failed to meet him.

A thin blue film of smoke crept up from one of the tall chimneys,
telling him that some one was within the gloomy old structure, which,
it seemed to him, looked much more like a grim fortress than a
_peaceful_ dwelling. Not a blade of grass or anything green flourished
about it; all was rock and sand and stranded kelp.

His heart beat fast as he went up the piazza-steps, and noted how his
footsteps echoed in the silence. He rapped on the great oaken
front-door. No one answered the summons. He rapped again, wondering if
Uncle Richard was really gone, and his heart began to grow heavy
again, as it had done upon his first disappointment at the wharf. The
lonely voice of the sea stole up to his ears, and he turned about to
look. Twilight was fast settling down upon it, and already the far
horizon was hidden; but along the shore the waves shone and g