As he glanced hurriedly back, the two light-dots again appeared.

He had seen them too often before to be mistaken, and he shouted over his shoulder to the captain, who noticed them now for the first time, "Those lights behind to leeward are from old Jacob's hearth on Torungen!" "Are you sure of that ?" muttered Beck, coming nearer to him at the same time over the sloping deck with the help of a rope.

"If they are, it will not be long before we are dashed to atoms on the rocks." A conversation ensued between them, in which Salve declared that he had known the water under Torungen from childhood as well as he did his father's garden; and the upshot was that Beck, pale and hesitating, determined to go in under land with him as pilot.
"It is much that is being intrusted this night to two young shoulders," said he; "and see you think twice, young man, both for your own life's sake and ours." They kept away then, and stood in under land with the least sail they could carry in the tremendous sea that was now breaking in their wake, and soon the thunder of the breakers became audible.
Salve was pale, but perfectly calm, as he stood there with the speaking-trumpet, after having taken over the command, and with the captain and mate by his side.

But all of a sudden great beads of perspiration came out on his forehead.

There was something curiously irregular about the light.