, and leading him gradually
to a comprehension of the issue that was bound to follow.

And Sangree--here his wisdom was most wisely calculated--he neglected
outwardly because inwardly he was the object of his unceasing and most
concentrated attention. Under the guise of apparent indifference his
mind kept the Canadian under constant observation.

There was a restless feeling in the Camp that evening and none of us
lingered round the fire after supper as usual. Sangree and I busied
ourselves with patching up the torn tent for our guest and with finding
heavy stones to hold the ropes, for Dr. Silence insisted on having it
pitched on the highest point of the island ridge, just where it was most
rocky and there was no earth for pegs. The place, moreover, was midway
between the men's and women's tents, and, of course, commanded the most
comprehensive view of the Camp.

"So that if your dog comes," he said simply, "I may be able to catch him
as he passes across."

The wind had gone down with the sun and an unusual warmth lay over the
island that made sleep heavy, and in the morning we assembled at a late
breakfast, rubbing our eyes and yawning. The cool north wind had given
way to the warm southern air that sometimes came up with haze and
moisture across the Baltic, bringing with it the relaxing sensations
that produced enervation and listlessness.

And this may have been the reason why at first I failed to notice that
anything unusual was about, and why I was less alert than normally; for
it was not till after breakfast that the silence of our little party
struck me and I discovered that Joan had not yet put in an appearance.
And then, in a flash, the last heaviness of sleep vanished and I saw
that Maloney was white and troubled and his wife could not hold a plate
without trembling.

A desire to ask questions was stopped in me by a swift glance from Dr.
Silence, and I suddenly understood in some vague way that they were
waiting till Sangree should have gone. How this idea came to me I cannot
determine, but the soundness of the intuition was soon proved, for the
moment he moved off to his tent, Maloney looked up at me and began to
speak in a low voice.

"You slept through it all," he half whispered.

"Through what?" I asked, suddenly thrilled with the knowledge that
something dreadful had happened.

"We didn't wake you for fear of getting the whole Camp up," he went on,
meaning, by the Camp, I supposed, Sangree. "I