It needed all the robust courage of his strong nature to sustain himself
in the presence of the wild fancies that now came rushing and thronging
before his mind. The words of his father sounded in his ears; he thought
he heard them spoken from the air; he thought he saw an aged spectral
face, wan with suffering and grief, in front of his cave. He covered his
eyes with his hands, and sought to reason down his superstitious
feeling. In vain. Words rang in his ears, muffled words, as though
muttered in the storm, and his mind, which had brooded so long over his
father's letter, now gave shape to the noise of winds and waves.

"--In the crisis of your fate I will be near."

"I shall go mad!" cried Brandon, aloud, and he started to his feet.

But the storm went on with its fury, and still his eyes saw shapes, and
his ears heard fantastic sounds. So the night passed until at last the
storm had exhausted itself. Then Brandon sank down and slept far on into
the day.

When he awaked again the storm had subsided. The sea was still
boisterous, and a fresh breeze blew which he inhaled with pleasure.
After obtaining some shell-fish, and satisfying his appetite, he went to
the summit of the rock for water, and then stood looking out at sea.

His eye swept the whole circuit of the horizon without seeing any thing,
until at length he turned to look in a westwardly direction where the
island spread out before him. Here an amazing sight met his eyes.

The mound at the other end had become completely and marvelously
changed. On the previous day it had preserved its usual shape, but now