hiding place from the wind, and a
covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as
the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

"And the eyes of them that see shall not be dim, and the ears of
them that hear shall hearken."

Now Taffy walked behind, thinking his own thoughts; for the cheers of
those invisible sailors had done more than thrill his heart.
A finger, as it were, had come out of the night and touched his
brain, unsealing the wells and letting in light upon things undreamt
of. Through the bright confusion of this sudden vision the Vicar's
sentences sounded and fell on his ears unheeded. And yet while they
faded that happened which froze and bit each separate word into his
memory, to lose distinctness only when death should interfere, stop
the active brain, and wipe the slate.

For while the procession halted and broke up its formation for a
moment on the brow of the cliff, a woman came running into the
torchlight.

"Is my Joey there? Where's he _to_, anybody? Hev anyone seen my
Joey?"

It was Lizzie Pezzack, panting and bareheaded, with a scared face.

"He's lame--you'd know en. Have 'ee got en there? He's wandered
off!"

"Hush up, woman," said a bearer. "Don't keep such a pore!"

"The cheeld's right enough somewheres," said another. "'Tis a man's
body we've got. Stand out of the way, for shame!"

But Lizzie, who as a rule shrank away from men and kept herself
hidden, pressed nearer, turning her tragical face upon each in turn.
Her eyes met George's, but she appealed to him as to the others.

"He's wandered off. Oh, say you've seen en, somebody!"

Catching sight of Taffy, she ran and gripped him by the arm.

"_You'll_ help! It's my Joey. Help me find en!"

He turned half about, and almost before he knew what he sought his
eyes met George's. George stepped quietly to his side.

"Let me get my mare," said George, and walked away toward the
light-house railing where he had tethered her.

"We'll find the child. Our work's done here, Mr. Saul!"
Taffy turned to the Chief Officer. "Spare us a man or two and some
flares."

"I'll come myself," said the Chief Officer. "Go you back, my dear,
and we'll fetch home your cheeld as right as ninepence.
Hi, Rawlings, take a couple of men and scatter along the cliffs there
to the right. Lame, you say? He can't have gone far."

Taffy, with the Chief Officer and a couple of volunteers, moved off
to the l