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.