"Why?"
"You see those clouds over there? That's wind—sou'-west—you'll see what it's like after church."
"Your gales are as extraordinary as all the rest—and your tides and currents and sea-mists. I suppose one must be born here to understand them. We have a fine coast in Cornwall, but I think you beat us."
"Of course. This is Sark."
"And does no one ever tumble over the Coupée in the dark?"
"N—o, not often, any way. Nance once saw a man blown over."
"That was a bad thing to see," said Gard, turning towards her. "How was it?"
"I was coming from school—"
"All alone?"
"Yes, all alone. The others had gone on; I'd been kept in, and it was nearly dark. It was blowing hard, and when I got to the first rock here I thought it was going to blow me over. So I went down on my hands and knees and was just going to crawl, when old Hirzel Mollet came down the other side with a great sheaf of wheat on his back. He was taking it to the Seigneur for his tithes. And then in a moment he gave a shout and I saw he was gone."