"Mr. Day's boat has gone," said Margaret.
"Ay," he returned, slowly, and he looked steadily at his net. "She'll be safe enow. She's a stiff un, and used to rough weather, miss," and he laughed. "We always have it rough a'most when there's a high, strong tide, and it's very high to-night. You see that rock, miss?" and he pointed to a dark mass that rose on the black line at a little distance from them. "Well, the tide will cover that rock to-night. People won't allus believe it. There was a gentleman and a lady washed off that rock two year agone; they thought themselves safe enow, and was up there to watch the tide come in; they never saw it go out!" and he chuckled grimly.
Margaret shuddered.
"Do you mean that they were drowned?" she said.
"I 'spect," he replied; "leastways, they were never seen again."
"But I thought people who were drowned always came back?" said Margaret.
He shook his head.
"Not hereabouts, miss. There's sands here, miss, as is onreliable and hungry as a wild beastie; things they gets hold of they sticks to."
Margaret, not being desirous of continuing this cheerful conversation, wished him good-day and turned toward the cottage on the cliff.