"Then, by Godis teeth! what does the bell mean?"
"Oh, the old women are making prayers or saying Mass."
"Pagan! Mass is not at this hour, nor would they ring the great bell in that way."
"Then the prior has given up his vows, and is about to wed the Lady Abbess of Denton, and the monks are ringing for joy that one of them should at length prove himself a man." A chuckle went through the boat at this none too excellent a joke.
"Like enough," Huber said, "but whatever it may mean we must keep our tryst with Heraud. It was to be a church's length from the main landing where the monks keep their boats. A church's length to the left."
"It will not be easy to find, the night is very thick. We must go very slow."
"Yes," said Huber "we must go with great care. Come forward! Are you ready? Allery!"
The boat glided slowly on again towards the direction of the island. Presently a deeper blackness loomed up in front of them, and they saw that they were close to land. The smell of land, of herbage and flowers, came to them, and hot as it had been upon the lake, it seemed hotter now that they were come to shore.
As the nose of the boat brushed the outgrowing reeds, hissing at the contact, the bell on the hill above stopped suddenly. A great silence enveloped them as they waited.
Huber gave a long, low whistle, but there was no answer. He repeated it at intervals of about a minute.