was one of those
nights during which an imperceptible vapour arises, and renders the moon
somewhat obscure, or, at least, it robs the earth of her rays; and then
there were shadows cast by the moon, yet they grew fainter, and those
cast upon the floor of the apartment were less distinct than at first.

There seemed scarce a breath of air stirring; everything was quiet and
still; no motion--no sound, save that of the breathing of the two who
sat in that mysterious apartment, who gazed alternately round the place,
and then in each other's countenances. Suddenly, the silence of the
night was disturbed by a very slight, but distinct noise, which struck
upon them with peculiar distinctness; it was a gentle tap, tap, at the
window, as if some one was doing it with their fingernail.

They gazed on each other, for some moments, in amazement, and then at
the window, but they saw nothing; and yet, had there been anything, they
must have seen it, but there was not even a shadow.

"Well," said Mr. Chillingworth, after he had listened to the tap, tap,
several times, without being able to find out or imagine what it could
arise from, "what on earth can it be?"

"Don't know," said Jack, very composedly, squinting up at the window.
"Can't see anything."

"Well, but it must be something," persisted Mr. Chillingworth; "it must
be something."

"I dare say it is; but I don't see anything. I can't think what it can
be, unless--"

"Unless what? Speak out," said the doctor, impatiently.

"Why, unless it is Davy Jones himself, tapping with his long
finger-nails, a-telling us as how we've been too long already here."

"Then, I presume, we may as well go; and yet I am more disposed to deem
it some device of the enemy to dislodge us from this place, for the
purpose of enabling them to effect some nefarious scheme or other they
have afloat."

"It may be, and is, I dare say, a do of some sort or other," said Jack;
"but what' can it be?"

"There it is again," said the doctor; "don't you hear it? I can, as
plain as I can hear myself."

"Yes," said Jack; "I can hear it plain enough, and can see it, too; and
that is more. Yes, yes, I can tell all about it plain enough."

"You can? Well, then, shew me," said the doctor, as he strode up to the
window, before which Jack was standing gazing upon one particular spot
of the shattered window with much earnestness.

"Where is it?"

"Look there," said Jack, pointing with his finger to a part