"I declare I think this is the prettiest, or anyhow the grandest bit of the whole coast," said Eric, as they neared a glen through whose narrow gorge a green and garrulous little river gambolled down with noisy turbulence into the sea. He might well admire that glen; its steep and rugged sides were veiled with lichens, moss, and wild-flowers, and the sea-birds found safe refuge in its lonely windings, which were coloured with topaz and emerald by the pencillings of nature and the rich stains of time. "Yes," answered Montagu, "_I_ always stick up for Avon Glen as the finest scene we've got about here. But, I say, who's that gesticulating on the rock there to the right of it? I verily believe it's Wright, apostrophising the ocean for Vernon's benefit. I only see one of them though." "I bet you he's spouting:-- "Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean, roll Ten thousand fleets, etcetera." said Graham, laughing. "What do you say to putting in to shore there?" said Duncan. "It's only two miles to Starhaven, and I daresay we could make shift to take them in for that distance. If Jim says anything we'll chuck him overboard." They rowed towards Avon Glen, and to their surprise Wright, who stood there alone (for with a pocket telescope they clearly made out that it _was_ Wright), still continued to wave his arms and beckon them in a manner which they at first thought ridiculous, but which soon made them feel rather uneasy. Jim took an oar, and they soon got within two hundred yards of the beach. Wright had ceased to make signals, but appeared to be shouting to them, and pointing towards one corner of the glen; but though they caught the sound of his voice, they could not hear what he said. "I wonder why Vernon isn't with him," said Eric anxiously; "I hope--why, what _are_ you looking at, Charlie?" "What's that in the water there?" said Wildney, pointing in the direction to which Wright was also looking. Montagu snatched the telescope out of his hand and looked. "Good God!" he exclaimed, turning pale; "what can be the matter?" "Oh, _do_ let me look," said Eric. "No! stop, stop, Eric; you'd better not, I think; pray don't, it may be all a mistake. You'd better not--but it looked--nay, you really _mustn't_, Eric," he said, and, as if accidentally, he let the telescope fall into the water, and they saw it sink down among the seaweeds at the bottom. Eric looked at him reproachfully. "What's the fun of that, Monty? you let it drop on purpose." "Oh, never mind; I'll get Wildney another. I really daren't let you look, for fear you should _fancy_ the same as I did, for it must be fancy. Oh, _don't_ let us put in there--at least not all of us." What _was_ that thing in the water?