the wind as though it would never stop, and the day was waning, and
the wind still rising; and now the Isle of Ransom uphove huge before
them, and coal-black, and no beach and no haven was to be seen
therein; and still they ran before the wind towards that black cliff-
wall, against which the sea washed for ever, and no keel ever built
by man might live for one moment 'twixt the surf and the cliff of
that grim land. The sun grew low, and sank red under the sea, and
that world of stone swallowed up half the heavens before them, for
they were now come very nigh thereto; nor could Hallblithe see aught
for it, but that they must be dashed against the cliff and perish in
a moment of time.

Still the boat flew on; but now when the twilight was come, and they
had just opened up along reach of the cliff that lay beyond a high
ness, Hallblithe thought he saw down by the edge of the sea something
darker than the face of the rock-wall, and he deemed it was a cave:
they came a little nearer and he saw it was a great cave high enough
to let a round-ship go in with all her sails set.

"Son of the Raven," quoth Fox, "hearken, for thy heart is not little.
Yonder is the gate into the Isle of Ransom, and if thou wilt, thou
mayst go through it. Yet it may be that if thou goest ashore on to
the Isle something grievous shall befall thee, a trouble more than
thou canst bear: a shame it may be. Now there are two choices for
thee: either to go up on to the Isle and face all; or to die here by
my hand having done nothing unmanly or shameful: What sayest thou?"

"Thou art of many words when time so presses, Fox," said Hallblithe.
"Why should I not choose to go up on to the Island to deliver my
trothplight maiden? For the rest, slay me if thou canst, if we come