the other, while he listened for the slightest sound that could give an
atom of knowledge. Apparently the effort was useless, for the next
moment he placed his left hand on the gunwale and vaulted lightly upon
deck. He stood a few moments as if transfixed, then turning abruptly
about leaped to the ground, and, breaking into a run, hurried back to
his friend, who noticed that his face was more ghastly than before,
while his eyes stared as if they still looked upon unutterable things.

"What is it?" asked the elder in a ghostly whisper.

"My God! don't ask me to tell!"

"You forget that we are both physicians."

"But not that we are human beings; thank Heaven forever that you did
not look upon the sight my eyes saw a moment ago. Let it suffice,
doctor, to say that of the three men and women to whom we bade good-bye
within the past twenty minutes not one is alive! The fiends have been
there."

Not the least singular fact connected with this hideous incident was
that the devils who committed the unspeakable crime had vanished, so
far as could be seen, as utterly as if the ground had opened beneath
their feet and swallowed them. Two men had come back upon the scene
within a few minutes after all this was done, and yet the doers were
nowhere in sight. What was the meaning of their hasty departure?

It was unreasonable to think they had gone far. They must be in the
vicinity. They must have noticed the absence of the doctor and his
companions; doubtless they were looking for them along shore; possibly