We shook hands, and parted better friends than ever. I spoke the exact truth when I said that I liked him the better for his warmth: his anger wakened me, and gave me something to think of, and some emotion for a few minutes. Joe Kelly presently afterwards came, with the simplest face imaginable, to inquire what I had determined about the journey. “To put it off till the day after to-morrow,” said I. “Light me to bed.” He obeyed; but observed, that “it was not his fault now if there was puttings-off; for his share, every thing was ready, and he was willing and ready to follow me, at a moment’s warning, to the world’s end, as he had a good right to do, let alone inclination; for, parting me, he could never be right in himself: and though loth to part his country, he had rather part that _nor_[84] me.” Then, without dwelling upon these expressions of attachment, he changed to a merry mood, and by his drolleries diverted me all the time I was going to bed, and at last fairly talked me asleep. CHAPTER XV. When the first grey light of morning began to make objects indistinctly visible, I thought I saw the door of my apartment open very softly. I was broad awake, and kept my eyes fixed upon it--it opened by very slow degrees; my head was so full of visions, that I expected a ghost to enter--but it was only Ellinor. “Ellinor!” cried I; “is it you at this time in the morning?” “Hush! hush!” said she, shutting the door with great precaution, and then coming on tiptoe close to my bedside; “for the love of God, speak softly, and make no stir to awake them that’s asleep near and too near you. It’s unknown to all that I come up; for may be, when them people are awake and about, I might not get the opportunity to speak, or they might guess I knew something by my looks.” Her looks were full of terror--I was all amazement and expectation. Before she would say a word more, she searched the closets carefully, and looked behind the tapestry, as if she apprehended that she might be overheard: satisfied that we were alone, she went on speaking, but still in a voice that, with my utmost strained attention, I could but just hear. “As you hope to live and breathe,” said she, “never go again after night-fall any time walking in that lone place by the sea-shore. It’s a mercy you escaped as you did; but if you go again you’ll never come back alive--for never would they get you to do what they want, and to be as wicked as themselves the wicked villains!” “Who?” said I. “What wicked villains? I do not understand you; are you in your right senses?” “That I am, and wish you was as much in yours; but it’s time yet, by the blessing of God! What wicked villains am I talking of? Of three hundred that have sworn to make you their captain, or, in case you refuse, to have your life this night. What villains am I talking of? Of him, the wickedest of all, who is now living in the very house with you, that is now lying in the very next room to you.” “Joe Kelly?”