It wasn't safe for either of us to stick in that cave, so we cleared
away the marks of our occupation, and hid our packs in a deep
crevice on the rock. Wake announced his intention of climbing the
tower, while there was still a faint afterglow of light. 'It's broad on
the top, and I can keep a watch out to sea if any light shows. I've
been up it before. I found the way two years ago. No, I won't fall
asleep and tumble off. I slept most of the afternoon on the top of
Sgurr Vhiconnich, and I'm as wakeful as a bat now.'

I watched him shin up the face of the tower, and admired greatly
the speed and neatness with which he climbed. Then I followed the
crevice southward to the hollow just below the platform where I
had found the footmarks. There was a big boulder there, which
partly shut off the view of it from the direction of our cave. The
place was perfect for my purpose, for between the boulder and the
wall of the tower was a narrow gap, through which I could hear all
that passed on the platform. I found a stance where I could rest in
comfort and keep an eye through the crack on what happened beyond.

There was still a faint light on the platform, but soon that
disappeared and black darkness settled down on the hills. It was the
dark of the moon, and, as had happened the night before, a thin
wrack blew over the sky, hiding the stars. The place was very still,
though now and then would come the cry of a bird from the crags
that beetled above me, and from the shore the pipe of a tern or
oyster-catcher. An owl hooted from somewhere up on the tower.
That I reckoned was Wake, so I hooted back and was answered.
I unbuckled my wrist-watch and pocketed it, lest its luminous
dial should betray me; and I noticed that the hour was close on
eleven. I had already removed my shoes, and my jacket was