The Captain of the Wight

as he had recovered from his surprise. "

the dark figure, which every second was b

ast quarter of an hour. The atmosphere, while still densely thick, was yet p

e vapour which enveloped them parted, and a wonderful s

uld hardly repress a shudder of unutterable awe, so strange was the sudden c

n the strand. At his side was a vast, yawning black chasm impossible for him to fathom, shrouded as it was in the deep shadow of the bold headland beyond. Tophet itself could hardly be blacker or more fearful looking. The grim gloom of this awful abyss, at the very edge of

ncing light stretched away and away till a grey and silver cloud under the

drous the violet of the deep sky of night. Ralph had never see

sit their midnight homes. Silently as the strange scene had opened, so stilly and impalpably it faded away. In another moment all was gone, and the boy and the dark figure were alone in the

believest thou? Dost un

it seemeth to

deed men do dream in that sleep which they

ch opened up that strange sight only to disappear in greater obscurity than before. He now tri

ions of King Edward the Third's time. A tight-fitting tunic strapped at the waist by a belt, from which gleamed the hilt of a dagger, and the head of a small axe, showed he was both activ

may it please you to stay here,

of bantering superiority the

u canst tell me where I am, and whither to go to

rine's down, wouldest thou? And

id Ralph haughtily. "I pray you ask me no

e other. "But before I tell thee what thou woul

hat is

r from the Captain of the Wight w

never know!" cr

ntil thy carcase becometh a prey to the sea-me

was becoming provoked. "But I will e'en do without thy niggard help." And Ralph got off hi

ront of him, and at the same time putting his finger to his mouth

it, his wrist was held as in a vice, and in a second his other arm was grasped, and with a quick trip o

ou wilt suffer. Thou art powerless

ered before--he struggled, kicked, and writhed, and even tried to bite the hands th

and kept pinioned to the ground. Never had Ralph believed man could be so strong. But, still unconquered, the boy struggled with his legs, and raised himself off the ground with his heels. By a violent uplifting of his knees, he hit his captor a fierce b

off the boy's chest, where he had been crushing the breath out of his body, "I told you it w

aid Ralph

captor, "we shall eve

lt his arms held by another man, while the

ed the miscellaneous collection of utterly useless articles which boys, from the earliest days down to the present, have set their h

ho held his legs; "look'ee there, t

peaker picked up the missive of the C

d Ralph, "an you touch t

first speaker, rising, held the paper up t

he said. "I must e'en

d while you be gone? Shall us kni

him no harm; hold hi

peaker disappeared fro

ht fell on their hair and beards, giving them a wild and ferocious appearance; and long knives, whose hilts stuck out of their belts, gleamed in the silver light. Who were they, and what could they mean by attacking him? and, above all, how could they dare, in

his arms to clap his hand over his mouth, and effectually to stop all further cries. In vain Ralph seized his arm with his disengaged hand. The other man, who was tired of h

he held the arm in no gentle hold. "There's naug

ked Ralph, as the man relaxe

Catherine, and 'tis a

where

on the ground, to be

s, he could do nothing. After lying still for

while; maybe he can't

riss-cross row long ago,"

te, but them letters

in't he got Mistress Mag

ue, you lubber;

ist, and from the distinctness with which he saw his figure develop, he k

'en take it to the Hermit of St Catherine's; but when thou returnest to the Castle, give th

men had already disappeared. He looked round; there was nothing to be seen of any living being; onl

moonlight, only marking in blacker contrast the hideous gloom of the yawning chasm at his side. He could see no path, yet the men must have gone down that way, or else he would have seen them had they ventured to clamber down the precipice in front. He

the urgency of the matter. What should he do? Wi

d the echo laughed back "answer," but none other answer came. "'Tis little use," he muttered, in sullen bitterness of spirit; "but I will yet find out where that smoke came from." He looked at his horse, how should he tether him? He saw beyond, and nearer th

with closely-growing bush, bramble, and scrub. The mist was gathering up afresh. Great banks of vapour were scudding across the

ning quickly round, he saw a graceful figure standing on the edge of the gully, looking like

r wouldst thou go

damoiselle, I would thank thee to tell me w

thank me if I were not

mself!" cried the youth impatiently, "if only

urteous, Sir Page," s

ed, and have been sorely bested. I cry your mercy. But tell m

sir. Seest thou yond

wager my falcon," said Ralph; then he

walk thy horse carefully till thou gettest upon hard ground, as 'tis all quick about here. Na

ss to thee, gentle damsel?"

eeds, I see," said the girl. "'Tis

saw I th

thou hadst se

iddles. I did thee a kindness, and yet

y are done keep them in mind. There, now, thou art on safe ground. Ride bold

Who are those caitiffs who wrought me such wro

night, gentle sir, mayest thou prosper, and have a pleasant journey;" and befo

Ralph; "my business is up there. I marvel whe

s way as fast as he could, consisten

gh or so difficult to climb, from the view he had had of it below, but at length he found the steep incline becoming rounde

low building with a small octagonal tower, on the top of which was a cresset holding a mass of flaming tow and fa

man in a monk's dress emerged in t

it of St Catherine

k turne

it tha

Wight's pages, who has co

ill I come down,"

ower opened, and the Hermit came out, holding a lantern in his hand. He carefully s

it attentive

ick to-night, and was so the greater part of the afternoon, a vessel might have pa

all, holy

e, for it behoveth him to take measures in c

ed off, and in the course of another hour was hallooing to the guard at the outer gate of the Castle to open and let him in. In a few minutes more he had dismounted at the C