of the land. There were three buildings: a small, stone-built
dwelling house, a low workshop, and, about two hundred yards farther
north, a square tower of granite masonry, seventy feet in height.

The house and the shop were separated by an open yard, littered with
waste. A single stone wall surrounded both, except on the side
facing the sea, where the house itself formed a continuation of the
cliff. No one appeared. The windows were all closed, and Maskull
could have sworn that the whole establishment was shut up and
deserted.

He passed through the open gate, followed by Nightspore, and knocked
vigorously at the front door. The knocker was thick with dust and
had obviously not been used for a long time. He put his ear to the
door, but could hear no movements inside the house. He then tried
the handle; the door was looked.

They walked around the house, looking for another entrance, but there
was only the one door.

"This isn't promising," growled Maskull "There's no one here.....
Now you try the shed, while I go over to that tower."

Nightspore, who had not spoken half a dozen words since leaving the
train, complied in silence, and started off across the yard. Maskull
passed out of the gate again. When he arrived at the foot of the
tower, which stood some way back from the cliff, he found the door
heavily padlocked. Gazing up, he saw six windows, one above the
other at equal distances, all on the east face--that is, overlooking
the sea. Realising that no satisfaction was to be gained here, he