to
avail, and the battens and wedges were in place in a trice. That this
was no sooner accomplished than need be, we had immediate proof; for
there came a rending of wood and a splintering of glass, and after that
a strange yowling out in the dark, and the yowling rose above and
drowned the continuous growling that filled the night. In a little, it
died away, and in the brief silence that seemed to ensue, we heard a
slobby fumbling at the teak cover; but it was well secured, and we had
no immediate cause for fear.

IV

The Two Faces

Of the remainder of that night, I have but a confused memory. At times we
heard the door shaken behind the great chests; but no harm came to it.
And, odd whiles, there was a soft thudding and rubbing upon the decks
over our heads, and once, as I recollect, the Thing made a final try at
the teak covers across the windows; but the day came at last, and found
me sleeping. Indeed, we had slept beyond the noon, but that the bo'sun,
mindful of our needs, waked us, and we removed the chests. Yet, for
perhaps the space of a minute, none durst open the door, until the bo'sun
bid us stand to one side. We faced about at him then, and saw that he
held a great cutlass in his right hand.

He called to us that there were four more of the weapons, and made a
backward motion with his left hand towards an open locker. At that, as
might be supposed, we made some haste to the place to which he pointed,
and found that, among some other gear, there were three more weapons such
as he held; but the fourth was a straight cut-and-thrust, and this I had
the good fortune to secure.

Being now armed, we ran to join the bo'sun; for by this he had the door
open, and was scanning the main cabin. I would remark here how a good
weapon doth seem to put heart into a man; for I, who but a few, short
hours since had feared for my life, was now right full of lustiness and
fight; which, mayhap, was no matter for regret.

From the main cabin, the bo'sun led up on to the deck, and I remember
some surprise at finding the lid of the scuttle even as we had left it
the previous night; but then I recollected that the skylight was broken,
and there was access to the big cabin that way. Yet, I questioned within
myself as to what manner of thing it could be which ignored the
convenience of the scuttle, and descended by way of the broken skylight.

We made a search of the decks and fo'cas'le, but found nothing, and,
after t