a little thick.

From the coming from the sea of the alien child he started, and rambled
on, with fact and fiction very inextricably mingled; but the hearer could
make out the main truth of the blasting of a proud young life, and
pitied, and was minded now to make large allowance for any misdemeanour.

From their feet Christian rose, and without a look removed to the bows.
They were stricken to silence.

Suddenly Philip clutched the other, staring down. Both saw and blanched,
though what they glimpsed gave to them no shape for a name. It was gone.

'What is it?'

'No rowan! not a leaf.'

At that the old man mastered his nerves and laughed scorn in his beard.
Philip cast a scared look towards Christian.

'Last night,' he whispered, 'he looked over the side. I saw
him--twice--it was for this.'

'What is it?'

'You saw. That was his familiar.'

'Now look you,' returned the other with grave sarcasm, 'that is a
creature I have seen never, and would gladly. You, if you be skilled as a
fisher, catch me that familiar, and I will pay you in gold; or in broad
silver if you win me but a fair sight.'

Philip, ashy white, crossed himself. 'Heaven keep us! The one bait were a
human soul.'

Not with all his art and wisdom could the Adventurer now reinstate the
earlier hardihood of his companion. Against a supplement by wine he
protested.

'Sir,' said Philip, sullen, 'I have braved enough for you and my
conscience, and more. Longer here I will not bide; no, not for any
price. We go to meet our fortune yonder of friend or foe.'

The Adventurer looked at him and smiled. 'You miscount. Should I and he
yonder, the Alien, be of another mind, your course may be ordered
otherwise.'

Taken in his own toils, Philip glared in wrath and fear, sundered from a
common cause, an adversary.

From the shrouded sea grew a roar; Christian sprang up; the darkness
swayed forward, broke, and flew shredded; a line of racing waves leapt
upon them as with icy stroke the squall passed. Through the broken
vapours a rim of sun showed on the horizon; and there full west beat a
tall three-master; a second was standing nearer; of a third a sway of
mist withheld certainty. Here rose hope wellnigh clear of doubt.

But the mists spread down again with twilight adding. The House Monitory
woke and spoke far behind as they went to windward. Now Christian
steered.

Again was he aware of a stealthy threat moving below, and again looking
he could n