'A long time ago,' Armorel went on, 'these islands formed part of the mainland. Bryher and Tresco, St. Helen's, Tean, St. Martin's and St. Mary's, were all joined together, and the road was only a creek of the sea. Then the sea washed away all the land between Scilly and the Land's End. They used to call the place Lyonesse. The kings of Lyonesse were buried on Samson. Their kingdom is gone, but their graves remain. It is said that their ghosts have been seen. Dorcas saw them once.'
'I should like to see them very much,' said Roland.
'If you were here at night, we could go out and look for them. I have been here often after dark looking for them.'
'What did you see?'
She answered like unto the bold Sir Bedivere—who, perhaps, was standing on that occasion not far from this hill-top.
'I saw the moonlight on the rocks, and I heard the beating of the waves.'
Quoth Dick: 'The spook of a king of Lyonesse would be indeed worth coming out to see.'
Armorel led the way to a barrow, the top of which showed signs of the spade.
'See!' she said. 'Here is one that has been opened. It was a long time ago.'
There were the four slabs of stone still in position which formed the sides of the grave, and the slab which had been its cover lying close beside.