They were always sure of a hearty and loving welcome at the witch's house. The cat met them to rub head against legs, even Wallace coming in for a share of her affection. Indeed, the great Newfoundland appeared to be a hero with pussy, though no doubt he considered himself somewhat superior to her in intellect. On this occasion she showed her affection for the dog by running off in front and whacking poor Tod Lowrie, who was sound asleep at the sunny side of the cottage door. 'Get up, you lazy Lowrie,' she seemed to say, 'and welcome a bigger dog than ever you'll be.' Nevertheless, pussy kept her gloves on all the time she whacked the fox. So it was only play and fun, born of her sudden joy at seeing her friends Lotty, Antony, and big, wise Wallace. And when Joe with a _craik-k!_ and a _croak-k!_ his wings drooping on the ground, rushed forward and jumped nimbly on top of the fox and pecked at pussy, anybody could see this was also fun and play got up on the spur of the moment. 'Hurray--ray!' cried the strange bird. 'Joe's alive! Hurray--hurray--ray!' When Joe did at last manage to land a dig in pussy's brow he held back his head and laughed as if possessed of something not canny. 'Ha--ha--ha! Ho--ho--ho! Joe's alive. Ha--ha--ha!' Pussy shook her head, and retired to wash her face. Well, Crona and her friends spent a very happy day together, and the sun was down before they even dreamt of parting. The sun went down, and then came a long twilight, with a gradually rising wind; so, bidding Crona good-night, they set out with all speed to get clear of the woods before darkness fell, and to-night there would be no early moon, for it was the neap. Chops had come as far as the high cliff to meet them, and as he was looking unusually serious Antony asked him if anything was the matter. 'W'ich I don't go for to say there is,' answered Chops, 'not on my own like; only Kelly the coastguard tells us that the bark hout yonder isn't likely to weather the Partans' Rock.' Before Antony and Lotty had got quite clear of the woods the wind had suddenly increased to almost the force of a gale, blowing right on to the land, with, if anything, a bit of eastering in it. And out yonder in the fast-gathering gloom they could see a bark under very little sail standing westwards, but perilously near to the shore. The word 'partan' signifies a crab, and the rock out yonder was never visible except at very low tides, such as occur at the neap. Presently Kelly himself came along. He was an Englishman and a good sailor, and he was stationed with a chum or two far along the coast here. 'Hallo, Kelly!' said Antony, 'from the little a landsman like me knows of the sea, yonder ship seems in a nasty place.' 'Ay, sir, that she be; and though the tide isn't out so far as it will be, the Partans' Rock, sir, is all awash. I mind,' he added, 'when the _Fair Maid o' Wales_ went on shore on that same ugly rock three year and more agone.' 'Went to pieces, did she?'