He decided in his own mind that ten miles was the utmost length that a
woman could possibly swim, but he talked boldly of great swimming feats
he had seen in his college life, and opined that a good swimmer might
even cross the bay from Montrose or from the little port of Stanhope in
the other direction; and when he saw the incredulity of his listeners,
he knew that no one had accomplished either journey, for the water was
overlooked by a hundred houses at either place, and many a small vessel
ploughed the waves.
When he went to sleep that night Caius was sure that the vision of the
mermaid was all his own, shared only by old Morrison, who lay in his
grave. It was perhaps this partnership with the dead that gave the
matter its most incredible and unreal aspect. Three years before this
lady of the sea had frequented this spot; none but the dead man and
himself had been permitted to see her.
"Well, when all's said and done," said Caius to himself, rolling upon a
sleepless bed, "it's a very extraordinary thing."
Next morning he hired a boat, the nearest that was to be had; he got it
a mile and a half further up the shore. It was a clumsy thing, but he
rowed it past the mouth of the creek where he used to fish, all along
the water front of Day's farm, past the little point that was the
beginning of the rocky part of the shore, and then he drew the boat up
upon the little island.
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