ng fast above our
reeling mastheads and all about us a troubled sea. But as the light
grew, look how I might, nowhere could I descry aught of any ship upon
that vast horizon of foaming waters.

"Ha!" says Godby, venting huge sigh, "there's to be no play for my guns
this day, Mart'n."

"Nay but," says I, mighty perplexed, "what's come of her? She could
never have marked our change of course at the distance and 'twas black
dark beside, and we bore no lights."

"Mayhap she smelt us, pal, as I said afore. Howbeit, 'tis beyond me,
cram me wi' rope-yarn else!"

Now, as he spoke, up came the sun, turning lowering sky and tempestuous
ocean to glory; every ragged cloud became as it were streaming banners
enwrought of scarlet and gold, every foaming billow a rolling splendour
rainbow-capped, insomuch that I stood awed by the very beauty of it all.

"I love the good, kind earth, Mart'n, wi' its green grass and flowers
a' peep, 'tis a fair resting-place for a man when all's done and said,
but yonder, pal--ah, there's glory for ye! Many's the time I've
watched it, dawn and sunset, and, minding all the goodly ships and the
jolly lads as are a-sleeping down below, at such times, Mart'n, it do
seem to me as if all the good and glory of 'em came aloft for eyes to
see awhile--howbeit, 'tis a noble winding-sheet, pal, from everlasting
to everlasting, amen! And by that same token the wind's veering, which
meaneth a fair-weather spell, and I must trim. Meantime do you rouse
Master Adam." And here, setting hands to mouth, Godby roared high
above the wind:

"Watch ho! Watch! Brace about--bowse away there!"

As I crossed the deck, up the poop ladder comes Adam himself, his red
seaman's bonnet tight-drawn about his ears and a perspective-glass
under his arm. "'Tis as I thought, Martin," says he, pinching his chin
and scowling away to leeward, "she changed course as we did."

"Nay but, Adam, how should she know we changed and the night so black?"

"Very easily, shipmate, by means of a light--"

"We bore no lights, Adam."

"None the less someone aboard this ship signalled yon black craft by
means of a lanthorn, 'tis beyond doubt!"

"And why should she follow us, think ye?"

"Why am I a marked man, shipmate, why have I been dogged hither and yon
across seas? Come into the coach and I'll tell ye a thing. Godby!"
says he, coming where Godby stood beside the steersman, "lay her on her
old course. 'Tis Merrilees takes next