t, there came
again the plaint of that wild sobbing. And abruptly it sounded away on
our right, and immediately was caught up, as it were, and echoed back
from some place beyond us afar up the creek. At that, I got me upon a
thwart, intending to take another look over the country about us; but
the banks of the creek had become higher; moreover the vegetation acted
as a screen, even had my stature and elevation enabled me to overlook
the banks.

And so, after a little while, the crying died away, and there was another
silence. Then, as we sat each one harking for what might next befall,
George, the youngest 'prentice boy, who had his seat beside me, plucked
me by the sleeve, inquiring in a troubled voice whether I had any
knowledge of that which the crying might portend; but I shook my head,
telling him that I had no knowing beyond his own; though, for his
comfort, I said that it might be the wind. Yet, at that, he shook his
head; for indeed, it was plain that it could not be by such agency, for
there was a stark calm.

Now, I had scarce made an end of my remark, when again the sad crying
was upon us. It appeared to come from far up the creek, and from far down
the creek, and from inland and the land between us and the sea. It filled
the evening air with its doleful wailing, and I remarked that there was
in it a curious sobbing, most human in its despairful crying. And so
awesome was the thing that no man of us spoke; for it seemed that we
harked to the weeping of lost souls. And then, as we waited fearfully,
the sun sank below the edge of the world, and the dusk was upon us.

And now a more extraordinary thing happened; for, as the night fell with
swift gloom, the strange wailing and crying was hushed, and another sound
stole out upon the land--a far, sullen growling. At the first, like the
crying, it came from far inland; but was caught up speedily on all sides
of us, and presently the dark was full of it. And it increased in volume,
and strange trumpetings fled across it. Then, though with slowness, it
fell away to a low, continuous growling, and in it there was that which I
can only describe as an insistent, hungry snarl. Aye! no other word of
which I have knowledge so well describes it as that--a note of _hunger_,
most awesome to the ear. And this, more than all the rest of those
incredible voicings, brought terror into my heart.

Now as I sat listening, George gripped me suddenly by the arm, declaring
in a shri