He called again. "Hallo!... Who's there?... Who is it?"

This time he was sure he heard noises, soft and heavy, in the kitchen.

"This is a queer thing altogether," he muttered. "By Jove, I'm as weak as
a kitten too.... Hallo, there! Somebody called, didn't they?... Elsie! Is
that you?..."

Then he began to knock with his hand on the wall at the side of his bed.

"Elsie!... Elsie!... You called, didn't you?... Please come here, whoever
it is!..."

There was a sound as of a closing door, and then silence. Oleron began to
get rather alarmed.

"It may be a nurse," he muttered; "Elsie'd have to get me a nurse, of
course. She'd sit with me as long as she could spare the time, brave
lass, and she'd get a nurse for the rest.... But it was awfully like her
voice.... Elsie, or whoever it is!... I can't make this out at all. I
must go and see what's the matter...."

He put one leg out of bed. Feeling its feebleness, he reached with his
hand for the additional support of the wall....

* * * * *

But before putting out the other leg he stopped and considered, picking
at his new-found beard. He was suddenly wondering whether he _dared_ go