The sun had set. The wind was blowing from the sea. The waves
had surrounded the rock within which lay the old man's house. A deep
water rolled between it and the shore, upon which a majestic figure was
walking alone.

Mossy went up to him and said,--

"Will you tell me where to find the Old Man of the Sea?"

"I am the Old Man of the Sea," the figure answered.

"I see a strong kingly man of middle age," returned Mossy.

Then the old man looked at him more intently, and said,--

"Your sight, young man, is better than that of most who take this way.
The night is stormy: come to my house and tell me what I can do for
you."

Mossy followed him. The waves flew from before the footsteps of the Old
Man of the Sea, and Mossy followed upon dry sand.

When they had reached the cave, they sat down and gazed at each other.

Now Mossy was an old man by this time. He looked much older than the
Old Man of the Sea, and his feet were very weary.

After looking at him for a moment, the old man took him by the hand and
led him into his inner cave. There he helped him to undress, and laid
him in the bath. And he saw that one of his hands Mossy did not open.

"What have you in that hand?" he asked.

Mossy opened his hand, and there lay the golden key.

"Ah!" said the old man, "that accounts for your knowing me. And I know
the way you have to go."

"I want to find the country whence the shadows fall," said Mossy.

"I dare say you do. So do I. But meantime, one thing is certain.--What
is that key for, do you think?"

"For a key-hole somewhere. But I don't know why I keep it. I never
could find the key-hole. And I have lived a good while, I believe,"
said Mossy, sadly. "I'm not sure that I'm not old. I know my feet
ache."

"Do they?" said the old man, as if he really meant to ask the question;
and Mossy, who was still lying in the bath, watched his feet for a
moment before he replied,--"No, they do not. Perhaps I am not old
either."

"Get up and look at yourself in the water."

He rose and looked at himself in the water, and there was not a gray
hair on his head or a wrinkle on his skin.

"You have tasted of death now," said the old man. "Is it good?"

"It is good," said Mossy. "It is better than life."

"No, said the old man: it is only more life.--Your feet will make no
holes in the water now."

"What do you mean?"

"I will show you that presently."

They returned to the outer cave, and sat and talked together