I strove to persuade myself that ’twas but an alarum of my fluttering heart, and continued on my way. But presently it came again, and louder, doubtful no longer, but a sure token that someone or something did follow me.
At last, being able no longer to endure the suspense, I turned; and, casting away my stick, with my drawn sword in my hand, I began to move that way.
I had not gone a dozen paces, but I beheld the form of an Indian, who crouched in the reeds. He had a deadly blow-pipe in his hand. I was ready to have fallen upon him with my rapier. But, on a sudden (seeing, I suppose, the Doctor’s mark upon me), he turned and betook himself off, running swiftly; and so disappeared in the darkness. In the same moment, I heard something fall amongst the reeds.
Stepping to the place, I sought for it, and found it. It was a gold watch, and on the back thereof was graven the arms of my house; I knew it to have been my brother’s!
Now, since it had been let slip by the Indian, he it was, in all probability, who had murdered my brother; the sense whereof stirred a lust of vengeance in me, supplanting my late terror, and I would have essayed to have followed that Indian. However, I soon perceived I would have been quite frustrate.
Accordingly, I turned and prosecuted my way, reaching the cliff at last, and descending to the shore, by way of a gully.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE GHOST FACE.
The tide was at ebb; but I walked down the shore until I could see, faint and ashen, the curled crests of the breakers and the foam writhing upon the sand. I began to make along to the northward.
There came a flash of lightning glimmering upon the face of the high cliff. It was followed a little after by another, a blinding flash; and so continued intermittent. Presently a sort of hoarse rolling sound came to me above the clamour of the breakers. It waxed louder as I proceeded, and soon I knew what it was: the sound of waters falling from a blow-hole high up on the lofty cliff.
But, as I drew nearer, for the fourth time that night terror laid hold on me. For, as a flash of lightning fell upon the waterfall, from above it there looked forth that frightful visage which had struck terror to the heart of every man on board the “Tiger”!