Adam turning saw Mad Sally standing near him, and pointing with eager gestures towards the spot where the wreck had lately appeared. "Ah, ah, ah!" she shouted, in wild, hoarse tones, resembling the cries of the sea-gull as it circles in the air in search of prey. "Sad news, sad news, sad news I bring, Sad news for our good king, For one of his proud and gallant ships Has gone down in the deep salt sea, salt sea, Has gone down in the deep salt sea." "Yonder ship has gone to pieces, there is no doubt about that, mother," said Adam; "but you were wrong to warn us not to go off to her, for go off we did, and brought one of her passengers on shore who would have perished if we had listened to you, so don't fancy you are always right in what you say." "If you brought human being from yonder ship woe will come of it. Foolish man, you fought against the fates who willed it otherwise." "I know nothing about the fates, mother," answered Adam; "but I know that God willed us to bring on shore a little girl we found on board, and protected us while we did so." "Think you that He would have protected you when He did not watch over my boy, who was carried away over the salt sea?" she exclaimed, making a scornful gesture at Adam. "He protects not such as you, who madly venture out when in His rage He stirs up the salt sea, salt sea, salt sea!" and she broke out into a wild song-- "There were three brothers in Scotland did dwell, And they cast lots all three, Which of them should go sailing On the wide salt sea, salt sea; Which of them should go sailing On the wide salt sea;" and, wildly flourishing her arms, she stalked away towards the cliffs, up which she climbed, still making the same violent gestures, although her voice could no longer be heard, till she disappeared in the distance. A number of people had collected along the beach, eagerly looking out for any portion of the wreck or cargo which might be washed on shore, but they looked in vain; the sands swallowed up the heavier articles, while the rest were swept by the tide out to sea. Nothing reached the shore by which the name or character of the vessel which had just gone to pieces could be discovered. Adam Halliburt, finding that there was no probability of the weather mending sufficiently to enable the _Nancy_ to put to sea, returned home. "Look you, lads," he observed, calling his sons to his side; "you heard what that poor mad woman said. You see how she was all in the wrong when she told us not to put off to the wreck, and warned us that we should come to harm if we did. Now, to my mind, she is just a poor mad creature; but if she does know anything which others don't, it's Satan who teaches her, and he was a liar from the beginning, and therefore she is more likely to be wrong than right; and when you hear her ravings, don't you care for them, but go on and do your duty, and God will take care of you; leave that to Him."