"No living man."
"No living man?"
"No. I'm thinking it will be one of my brothers who was drowned here, and by the same token that it is Gloom, for he played upon the feadan. But if not, then—then——"
The two men waited in breathless silence, each trembling with superstitious fear; but at last the elder made a sign to Achanna to finish.
"Then—it will be the Kelpie."
"Is there—is there one of the—cave-women here?"
"It is said; and you know of old that the Kelpie sings or plays a strange tune to wile seamen to their death."
At that moment the fantastic, jerking music came loud and clear across the bay. There was a horrible suggestion in it, as if dead bodies were moving along the ground with long jerks, and crying and laughing wild. It was enough; the men, Campbell and MacEwan, would not now have waited longer if Achanna had offered them all he had in the world. Nor were they, or he, out of their panic haste till the smack stood well out at sea, and not a sound could be heard from Eilanmore.
They stood watching, silent. Out of the dusky mass that lay in the seaward way to the north came a red gleam. It was like an eye staring after them with blood-red glances.
"What is that, Achanna?"