e moon went in again. Maskull had seen quite enough to make him
long for the aerial voyage to end.

The light from the male stones presently illuminated the face of a new
cliff. It was grand, rugged, and perpendicular. Upward, downward, and on
both sides, it faded imperceptibly into the night. After coasting it a
little way, they observed a shelf of rock jutting out. It was square,
measuring about a dozen feet each way. Green snow covered it to a depth
of some inches. Immediately behind it was a dark slit in the rock, which
promised to be the mouth of a cave.

Haunte skilfully landed the boat on this platform. Standing up, he
raised the staff bearing the keel light and lowered the other; then
removed both male stones, which he continued to hold in his hand. His
face was thrown into strong relief by the vivid, sparkling blue-white
rays. It looked rather surly.

"Do we get out?" inquired Maskull.

"Yes. I live here."

"Thanks for the successful end of a dangerous journey."

"Yes, it has been touch-and-go."

Corpang jumped onto the platform. He was smiling coarsely. "There
has been no danger, for our destinies lie elsewhere. You are merely a
ferryman, Haunte."

"Is that so?" returned Haunte, with a most unpleasant laugh. "I thought
I was carrying men, not gods."

"Where are we?" asked Maskull. As he spoke, he got out, but Haunte
remained standing a minute in the boat.

"This is Sarclash--the second highest mountain in the land."

"Which is the highest, then?"

"Adage. Between Sarclash and Adage there is a long ridge--very difficult
in places. About halfway along the ridge, at the lowest point, lies the
top of the Mornstab Pass, which goes through to Barey. Now you know the
lay of the land."

"Does the woman Sullenbode live near here?"

"Near enough." Haunte grinned.

He leaped out of the boat and, pushing past the others without ceremony,
walked straight into the cave.

Maskull followed, with Corpang at his heels. A few stone steps led to
a doorway, curtained by the skin of some large beast. Their host pushed
his way in, never offering to hold the skin aside for them. Maskull made
no comment, but grabbed it with his fist and tugged it away from its
fastenings to the ground. Haunte looked at the skin, and then stared
hard at Maskull with his disagreeable smile, but neither said anything.

The place in which they found themselves was a large oblong cavern, with
walls, floor, and ceiling of natural rock.