and the vessel lay
before the entrance of an harbour which looked like the mouth of a small
river. At noon the sun beat hot on the deck of the sloop. In the
afternoon the lady impatiently asked what they were waiting for--if this
really was, as she was told, their place of destination. The wind was
not contrary; what where they waiting for?

"No, madam; the wind is fair. But it is a curious circumstance about
this harbour that it can be entered safely only at night. It is one of
the most dangerous harbours in all the isles."

"And you dare to enter it at night? What do you mean?"

"I will show you, madam, when night comes."

Lady Carse suspected that the delay was on her account; that she was not
to land by daylight, less too much sympathy should be excited by her
among the inhabitants. Her indignation at this stimulated her to
observe all she could of the appearance of the island, in case of
opportunity occurring to turn to the account of an escape any knowledge
she might obtain. On the rocky ledges which stretched out into the sea
lay basking several seals; and all about them, and on every higher
ledge, were myriads of puffins. Hundreds of puffins and fulmars were in
the air, and skimming the waters. The fulmars poised themselves on
their long wings; the fat little puffins poffled about in the water, and
made a great commotion where everything else was quiet. From these
lower ridges of rock vast masses arose, black and solemn, some
perpendicular, some with a slope too steep and smooth to permit a
moment's dream of climbing them. Even on this warm day of August the
clouds had not risen above the highest peaks; and they threw a gloom
over the interior of the small island, while the skirting rocks and sea
were glittering in the sunshine. Even the scanty herbage of the slopes
at the top of the rocks looked almost a bright green where the sun fell
upon it; and especially where it descended so far as to come into
contrast with the blackness of the yawning caverns with which the rocky
wall was here and there perforated.

The lady perceived no dwellings; but Macdonald, who observed her
searching gaze, pointed his glass and invited her to look through it.
At first she saw nothing but a dim confusion of grey rocks and dull
grass; but at length she made out a grey cottage, with a roof of turf,
and a peat stack beside it.

"I see one dwelling," said the lady.

"You see it," observed Macdonald, satisfied, and