"No. And the last two sounds of the seven were so faint, I should not have heard them if I had not been listening. The cries had broken out right above where I was standing: they seemed to die away gradually in the distance." "I say that you may have been mistaken, Bell," persisted Dr. Raynor. "The sounds you heard may not have been the Seven Whistlers at all." Bell shook his head, His manner and voice this morning were more subdued than usual. "I can't be mistaken in _them_. No man can be who has once heard them, Dr. Raynor." "Is it this that has turned your face so grey?" questioned Frank, alluding to the pallor noticed by his uncle; but which the elder and experienced man had refrained from remarking upon. "I didn't know it was grey," rejoined Bell, his resentful tones cropping up again. "It's as grey as this powder," persisted Frank, holding forth a delectable compound he was preparing for some unfortunate patient. "And so, on the strength of this night adventure of yours, Bell, all you men are making holiday to-day!" resumed the doctor. But Bell, who did not seem to approve of Frank's remarks on his complexion, possibly taking them as ridicule--though he might have known Frank Raynor better--stood in dudgeon, and vouchsafed no reply. Andrew Float took up the retort in his humble, hesitating fashion. "There ain't one of us, Dr. Raynor, that would venture down to-day after this. When Bell come up to the pit this morning, where us men was collecting to go down, and said the Seven Whistlers had passed over last night at midnight, it took us all aback. Not one of us would hazard it after that. Ross, he stormed and raged, but he couldn't force us down, sir." "And the Golden Shaft will have the benefit of you instead!" said the doctor. "Our lives are dear to us all, sir," was the deprecating reply of Float, not attempting to answer the remark. "And I thank ye kindly, sir, for it feels more comfortable like already. They burns be nasty things." "They are apt to be so when not properly attended to. Your brother should not have allowed it to get into this state." "Well, you see, Dr. Raynor, some days he's been bad abed, and I didn't trouble him with it then; and young Pellet don't seem to know much about they bad places." "You should have come to me. Bell, how is your wife to-day?" "Pretty much as usual," said surly Bell. "If she's worse, it's through the Seven Whistlers. She don't like to hear tell of them." "Why did you tell her?" Josiah Bell lifted his cold light eyes in wonder. "Could I keep such a thing as that to myself, Dr. Raynor? It comes as a warning, and must be guarded against. That is, as far as we can guard against it." "Has the sickness returned?" "For the matter of that, she always feels sick. I should just give her some good strong doses of mustard-and-water to make her so in earnest, were I you, doctor, and then perhaps the feeling would go off."