Well--she were a mighty wreck blawn
right up against the Dunotter rocks, you understand, and sendin' up rockets
and we seein' her clear enough, black out to sea which she seemed enormous
in the night time and all. My father and the rest of 'em went out in the
boat--we waited and we waited and they didn't come back.... They never
come back--none of them only a crazed luny, Bill Tregothny--'e was washed
up against the rocks down to Bosillian and 'e were just livin' ... And
when it come daylight,"--Mr. Jackson cleared his throat and paused--"when
it come daylight there wasn't no wreck--nothing--nor no bodies
neither--nothing--only Bill Tregothny the fool...."
Peter had heard no single word of this. His ears were straining for the
return of that whisper. They were nearly once again at the hilltop. Then in
front of them there would be the sea--at the top of the hill there would be
the sea.... He was seized with a great terror--frightened like a child in
the dark.... "Bill Tregothny, you must understand sir, 'ad always been a
idiot--always, born so. When 'e was all well again 'e told strange tales
about the lot of them havin' boarded the vessel and there bein' gold all
over the decks--bars of it with the rain fallin' all about it--piled in
'eaps and 'e said the sailors weren't like common sailors yer knew, but all
in silks with cocked hats and the gold lyin' all about--
"O course Bill was the idiot you must understand, but it's true enough that
there were no vessel in the marnin'--no vessel at all--and my father and
the rest were never seen again--nor no bodies neither.
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