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“Phew！Ifeel’sifI’dbeenvisitingstate’sprison。Letmesetoutdoorsaspellandlistentothesurf。It’sclean，anyhow，andthatcritter’stalkmakesmewanttogivemybrainsabath。“
Thewoodenclock，loanedbyMrs。Parker，thedoctor’swife，tickedsteadily，althoughahalfhourslow。Ellery，glancingatittoseeifthetimehadcomeforgivingmedicine，suddenlynoticedhowlouditstickingsounded。Wonderingatthis，hewasawaretherewasnoothersoundinthehouse。Heroseandlookedinatthedooroftheadjoiningroom。Thepatienthadceasedtoraveandwaslyingquietonthebed。
Theministertiptoedovertolookathim。And，ashedidso，themanopenedhiseyes。
“Halloo！“hesaidfaintly。“Whoareyou？“
Ellery，startled，madenoanswer。
“Whoareyou？“demandedthemanagain。Then，withanoath，herepeatedthequestion，adding：“Whatplaceisthis？Thisain’tthefo’castle。WhereamI？“
“You’reashore。You’vebeensick。Don’ttrytomove。“
“Sick？Humph！Sick？’CourseIbeensick。Don’tIknowit？Thed——ncowardsrunoffandleftme；blasttheireyes！I’llfix’emforitoneofthesedays，youhear——“
“Sshh！“
“Hushupyourself。WhereamI？“
“You’reashore。OnCapeCod。AtTrumet。“
“Trumet！TRUMET！“
Hewasstrugglingtoraisehimselfonhiselbow。Ellerywasobligedtouseforcetoholdhimdown。
“Hush！hush！“pleadedtheminister，“youmustn’ttryto——“
“Trumet！Iain’t。You’relyin’。Trumet！GoodGod！Whobroughtmehere？Didshe——Isshe——“
Hestruggledagain。Thenhisstrengthandhisreasonlefthimsimultaneouslyandthedeliriumreturned。Hebegantoshoutaname，anamethatcausedEllerytostanduprightandstepbackfromthebed，scarcelybelievinghisears。
Alltherestofthatnightthemanonthebedravedandmuttered，butofpeopleandplacesandhappeningswhichhehadnotmentionedbefore。Andtheminister，listeningintentlytoeveryword，caughthimselfwonderingifhealsowasnotlosinghismind。
Whenthemorningcame，EbenezerCapenwasawakenedbyashaketofindJohnEllerystandingoverhim。
“Capen，“whisperedtheminister，“Capen，getup。Imusttalkwithyou。“
Ebenezerwasindignant。
“Judaspriest！“heexclaimed；“whydon’tyouscareafellertodeath，comin’andyankin’himoutofbedbythebackhair？“Then，beingmorewideawake，headded：“What’stherow？Worse，ishe？
Heain’t——“
“No。ButI’vegottotalkwithyou。Youusedtobeawhaler，I
know。WereyouacquaintedinNewBedford？“
“Sartin。WasatimewhenIcouldhavelocatedeverystickinit，prettynigh，bythesmell，ifyou’dsetmedownsideof’emblindfold。“
“Didyoueverknowanyonenamed——“Hefinishedthesentence。
“Sureandsartin，Idid。Why？“
“Didyouknowhimwell？“
“Well’sIwantedto。Prettydecentfelleronetime，butafastgoer，andwentdownhilllikeayoungone’ssled，whenhegotstarted。Hisfolkshadmoney，thatwasthetroublewithhim。Why，’courseIknewhim！Hemarried——“
“Iknow。Now，listen。“
Ellerywentontalkingrapidlyandwithgreatearnestness。
Ebenezerlistened，atfirstsilently，thenbreakinginwithejaculationsandgruntsofastonishment。Hesatupontheedgeofthebed。
“Rubbish！“hecriedatlast。“why，’tain’tpossible！Thefeller’sdeadasMethusalem’sgrandmarm。Irememberhowithappenedand——“
“Itwasn’ttrue。ThatmuchIknow。IKNOW，Itellyou。“
Hewentontoexplainwhyheknew。Capen’sastonishmentgrew。
“Judaspriest！“heexclaimedagain。“ThatwouldexplainwhyI
thoughtI’dseen——There！heaveahead。I’vegottosee。Butit’samistake。Idon’tbelieveit。“
Thepairenteredthesickroom。Thesailorlayinastupor。Hisbreathingwasrapid，butfaint。Capenbentoverhimandgentlymovedthebandageonhisface。Forafullminutehegazedsteadily。Thenhestooderect，drewabigredhandacrosshisforehead，andmovedslowlybacktothelivingroom。
“Well？“aske
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