But he watched the black line of land behind them until it was gone, and then it seemed to him that he was cut off absolutely from all the life that he had lived.

Tayoga, Willet, Master Jacobus, all the good friends of his youth had disappeared over the horizon with the lost land.
It had been so sudden, so complete that it seemed to him it must have been done with a purpose.

To what end had he been wrenched away from the war and sent upon the unknown ocean?
His wilderness had been that of the woods and not of the waters.

He had imbibed much of Tayoga's philosophy and at times, at least, he believed that everything moved forward to an appointed end.

What was it now?
He left the low rail at last, and finding a stool sat down upon the deck.