The stranger stopped also, and asked him his trade and on hearing that he was a seal catcher, he immediately ordered a great number of seal skins. The seal catcher was delighted, for such an order meant a large sum of money to him. But his face fell when the horseman added that it was absolutely necessary that the skins should be delivered that evening.
"I cannot do it," he said in a disappointed voice, "for the seals will not come back to the rocks again until to-morrow morning."
"I can take you to a place where there are any number of seals," answered the stranger, "if you will mount behind me on my horse and come with me."
The seal catcher agreed to this, and climbed up behind the rider, who shook his bridle rein, and off the great horse galloped at such a pace that he had much ado to keep his seat.
On and on they went, flying like the wind, until at last they came to the edge of a huge precipice, the face of which went sheer down to the sea. Here the mysterious horseman pulled up his steed with a jerk.
"Get off now," he said shortly.
The seal catcher did as he was bid, and when he found himself safe on the ground, he peeped cautiously over the edge of the cliff, to see if there were any seals lying on the rocks below.
To his astonishment he saw no rocks, only the blue sea, which came right up to the foot of the cliff.
"Where are the seals that you spoke of?" he asked anxiously, wishing that he had never set out on such a rash adventure.
"You will see presently," answered the stranger, who was attending to his horse's bridle.