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 tow, or asked Cap'n 'Bijah to bring them out. No, they've been held up in some unaccountable way. Your father knew that I could light up."

"He wouldn't stay away at light-up time," persisted Garth. "He wouldn't, he couldn't, whatever happened."

"Don't worry so, dear person," Joan said. "I know it will be all right. Try to go to sleep."

She kissed him again and took up the lamp. With her hand on the rope balustrade of the stairs, she paused and turned back, away from the silent blackness below.

"I'll sit in my room and read, if you'd rather," she said. "Then you can see my light through the door."

She sat in her room, but she found it very hard to read. She saw the printed words and pronounced them to herself, without the least idea of their meaning, while her mind for the thousandth time went over all the things which might, by any chance, have happened to Jim and Elspeth. Ten o'clock—eleven—twelve! Joan tip-toed to the door of Garth's room and stood there, listening.

"Joan!" said a small voice.