enchanter could go about in all kinds of disguises,
so that only those who had the gift of 'second sight' could discover him.

Anyhow, if this rich, bad man was not the Lord of Pengerswick he was
someone just as wicked, and just as rich. I believe, though, it was that
old enchanter, and, at any rate, we will call him so for the time.

The old gentleman had plenty of money and he spent it freely too, for it
cost him no trouble to get. He ground it out of the poor, and in the most
cruel manner. As he got it so easily he did not mind wasting it, and he
kept 'open house' as they call it,--that is, he always had a houseful of
visitors, men and women who were nearly as bad as he was, and he provided
them with every kind of luxury, and pleasure, and amusement that he could
think of. They rode pell-mell over the country on fiery, unmanageable
horses, breaking down the farmers' hedges, trampling down the land,
hunting, shooting, dancing and gambling! They did anything and everything
that was wild, and foolish, and exciting, in order to make the days pass
pleasantly.

One very, very hot summer's day, though, when the sun was pouring down
pitilessly, scorching up everything, and there was scarcely a breath of
air to be found, and it was too hot to dance, or to ride, or do anything
tiring, this gay crew thought they would like to spend some hours on the
sea, where it was cooler than on the land.

So the Lord of Pengerswick, always glad to show off his possessions,
ordered his largest and most sumptuous barge to be set afloat, and stored
with every kind of luxury, and every sort of dainty thing he could think
of, and the gay party went on board. Seated on silken cushions under an
awning of cloth of gold, they began at once to feast on the marvellous
dainties spread for them on a large solid silver table, and all the time
they feasted and laughed and jested, delicate music and singing wafted
towards them from the far end of the boat, to charm their ears if they
cared to listen.

While, though, the awning sheltered them from the sun, it also concealed
from them a little cloud which presently appeared in the sky; and the
music, talk and laughter drowned the sound of a little breeze that sighed
round the vessel.

The little breeze sighed, and went away unnoticed, but presently returned,
not little now, but very big, and determined to be heard; but they were,
by this time, making such a noise on board, that even the louder br