Some time after we all gathered together in the library, where we usually sat in the evening. My father made it a rule to send the servants to bed early when we had no company, so although it was only eight o'clock and scarcely dark he had taken down the old family Bible in order that we might hear the Scriptures and join in prayer before retiring. My mother sat by Wilfred, her hand locked in his, while I sat near to my father, as was the usual custom, and we waited for the servants to come to prayers. Instead of all coming together, only one came, and announced that Deborah Teague had something to tell us. Father, in spite of all the complaints against Deborah, regarded her with much favour, and told the servant to show her in. The old woman came in mumbling as usual. She waited for no greeting, and took no notice of my mother's harsh look. "Maaster Trewinion," she said, lifting the forefinger of her skinny right hand, "expect!" She stood up nearly straight as she spoke, and I thought of the Jewess prophetess whose name she bore. "Expect!" she repeated. "Expect a stranger and expect a storm." "What do you mean, Deborah?" asked my father kindly. "Just that," she replied. "I ha'ant a vollied the fortins of this eer ous for nothin', and I say expect." "A stranger and a storm," repeated my father. "The storm would be nothing to wonder at, the weather is so changeable, but the stranger----" "Es a woman," said the old crone, "and a young woman. I cud tell--but I wa'ant." "Could tell what?" "Clouds, and storms, and darkness!" "Come, tell us." "No, Maaster Trewinion, I be'ant zackly sure, but this I zay, git yer booats ready to help the perishin', and it may be as ow the stranger and the storm'll be together, like." The old woman went away at this, while father, always heedful of what Deborah might tell him, asked me to order some men to get the strongest and best boats in readiness. As I went down to the village which lies in the hollow near our house, I remembered the curious looks that passed between my mother and Wilfred while Deborah had been talking, and then I thought of my promise to meet Deborah at nine o'clock the next night. I wondered whether I ought to do so or not, and as the night gathered around I almost shuddered at the thought of meeting her alone. Had she, I asked myself, intercourse with evil spirits? Had she given herself to the devil for knowledge and evil power, as it was reported she had done? I reached the village at length and went in search of the men my father had mentioned. There was a harbour near, and as at the time of which I write a good number of people lived in the village, most of whom managed to do a great deal of fishing throughout the year, a number of boats had been built.