“But I deny the danger.”

“Yes; only you might listen.  So did I, but I deny it no longer.  The case is altered when I tell you in all seriousness—­when I take my oath if you like—­that I do believe now there is something in this.  I don’t say it’s supernatural, and I don’t say it isn’t; but I do feel deeply impressed in my mind now, and it’s growing stronger every minute, that there’s something here out of the common and really infernally dangerous.”

The other looked at him in astonishment.

“What bee has got into your bonnet?”

“Don’t call it that.  It’s a conviction, Tom.  Do be guided by me, old chap!”

The sailor flushed a little, emptied his glass, and rose.

“If you really wanted to choke me off, you chose a funny way to do so.  Surely it only needed this to determine anybody.  If you, as a sane person, honestly believe there’s a pinch of danger in that blessed place, then I certainly sleep there to-night, or else wake there.”

“Let me come, too, then, Tom.”

“That be damned for a yarn!  Ghosts don’t show up for two people—­ haven’t got pluck enough.  If I get any sport, I’ll be quite straight about it, and you shall try your luck to-morrow.”

“I can only make it a favor; and not for your own sake, either.”

“I know.  Mary will be sleeping the sleep of the just in the next room.  How little she’ll guess!  Perhaps, if I see an apparition worthy of the Golden Age, I’ll call her up.”

“Do oblige me, May.”

“In anything on earth but this thing.  It’s really too late now.  Don’t you see you’ve defeated your own object?  You mustn’t ask me to throw up the sponge to your sudden intuition of danger sprung on me at the eleventh hour.  I won the toss, and can’t take my orders from you, old chap, can I?”

The other, in his turn, grew a little warm.

“All right.  I’ve spoken.  I think you’re rather a fool to be so obstinate.  It isn’t as if a nervous old woman was talking to you.  But you’ll go your own way.  It doesn’t matter a button to me, and I only made it a favor for somebody else’s sake.”

“We’ll leave it at that, then.  May I trouble you for the key?  And your revolver, too.  I haven’t got mine here.”

Henry hesitated.  The key was in the pocket of his jacket.

“It is a matter of honor, Lennox,” said the sailor.

The other handed over the key on this speech, and prepared to go.

“I’ll get the revolver,” he said.

“Thanks.  Look me up in the morning, if you’re awake first,” added May; but the other did not answer.

He let Tom precede him, and then turned out the lights.  Other lights he also extinguished as they left the hall and ascended the stairs.  The younger’s pride was struggling for mastery; but he conquered it and spoke again.

“I wish to Heaven you could see it from another point of view than your own, Tom.”