“’Hitherto I had carried my lantern unlit:  but on reaching the coombe bottom I halted for a moment under the lee of the pallace-wall to strike a match.  In that moment, in a sudden lull of the breakers, it seemed to me that I heard a footstep on the loose stones of the beach; and having lit my candle hastily I ran round the wall and gave a loud hail.  It was not answered:  the sound had ceased:  but hurrying down the beach with my lantern held high, I presently saw a man between me and the water’s edge.  I believe now that he was trying to get away unobserved:  but finding this hopeless he stood still with his hands in his pockets, and allowed me to come up.  He was bare-headed, and dressed only in shirt and trousers and boots.  Somehow, though I did not recognise him, I never doubted for a moment that the man belonged either to my own or the next parish.  I was a newcomer in those days, you remember.

“‘"Hulloa!” said I, “where do you come from?"’

“’He stared at me stupidly and jerked his thumb over his shoulder towards the west.  I inferred that he came from one of the shore-farms in that direction.  He looked like a middle-aged farmer—­a grizzled man with a serious, responsible face.  “But you’re wet through,” I said, for his clothes were drenched.

“’For answer he pointed towards the surf, and lifting my lantern again, I detected a small cask floating a little beyond the breakers.  Now before coming to Lansulyan I had heard some ugly tales of the wrecking done in these parts, and at the sight of this I fairly lost my temper.  ‘It seems to me,’ said I, “a man of your age should be ashamed of himself, lurking here for miserable booty when there are lives to save!  In God’s name, if you have a spark of manhood in you, follow me to the Porth!” I swung off in a rage, and up the beach:  after a moment I heard him slowly following.  On the cliff track I swallowed down my wrath and waited for him to come up, meaning to expostulate more gently.  He did not come up.  I hailed twice, but he had vanished into the night.

“’Now this looked ugly.  And on reflection, when I reached the Porth and heard men wondering how on earth a fine ship found herself on Menawhidden in such weather, it looked uglier yet.  The fellow—­now I came to think it over—­had certainly shrunk from detection.  Then, thirty hours later, came your story of the face, and upset me further.  I kept my suspicions to myself, however.  The matter was too grave for random talking:  but I resolved to keep eyes and ears open, and if this horrible practice of wrecking did really exist, to expose it without mercy.

“’Well I have lived some years since in Lansulyan:  and I am absolutely sure now that no such horrors exist, if they ever existed.’

“‘But the man?’ was Dick’s query.

“’That’s what I’m coming to.  You may be sure I looked out for him:  for, unlike you, I remembered the face I saw.  Yet until to-day I have never seen it since.’