light; so he looked to the tiller and got
the boat's head a little up to the wind, and then gazed about him with
the sleep still in his eyes. And as his eyes took in the picture before
him he could not refrain a cry; for lo! there arose up great and grim
right ahead the black cliffs of the Isle of Ransom. Straightway he got
to the sheet, and strove to wear the boat; but for all that he could do
she drifted toward the land, for she was gotten into a strong current of
the sea that set shoreward. So he struck sail, and took the oars and
rowed mightily so that he might bear her off shore; but it availed
nothing, and still he drifted landward. So he stood up from the oars,
and turned about and looked, and saw that he was but some three furlongs
from the shore, and that he was come to the very haven-mouth whence he
had set sail with the Sea-eagle a twelvemonth ago: and he knew that into
that haven he needs must get him, or be dashed to pieces against the high
cliffs of the land: and he saw how the waves ran on to the cliffs, and
whiles one higher than the others smote the rock-wall and ran up it, as
if it could climb over on to the grassy lip beyond, and then fell back
again, leaving a river of brine running down the steep.

Then he said that he would take what might befall him inside the haven.
So he hoisted sail again, and took the tiller, and steered right for the
midmost of the gate between the rocks, wondering what should await him
there. Then it was but a few minutes ere his bark shot into the
smoothness of the haven, and presently began to lose way; for all the
wind was dead within that land-locked water. Hallblithe looked steadily
round about seeking his foe; but the haven was empty of ship or boat; so
he ran his eye along the shore to see where he should best lay his keel
and as aforesaid there was no beach there, and the water was deep right
up to the grassy lip of the land; though the tides ran somewhat high, and
at low water would a little steep undercliff go up from the face of the
sea. But now it was near the top of the tide, and there was scarce two
feet betwixt the grass and the dark-green sea.

Now Hallblithe steered toward an ingle of the haven; and beyond it, a
little way off, rose a reef of rocks out of the green grass, and thereby
was a flock of sheep feeding, and a big man lying down amongst them, who
seemed to be unarmed, as Hallblithe could not see any glint of steel
about him. Hallblithe drew