26 CRUSOE'S ISLAND. 



ness deepened, out of tlie denser woods came muffled 

 noises, strange and fearsome ; but above them all rose 

 the hollow voice, like the wail of a lost spirit, "• Who ? 

 who ? who are you ? " 



I had laughed to myself at the causeless fears of 

 Crusoe, when I had read of his immense preparations 

 for defense, as narrated in his book ; but if he could 

 have revisited the scene of his own terrors, he would 

 have had the satisfaction of seeing me trembling 

 and quaking at the mere sound of a ghostly voice ! 



I will confess that I did not breathe freely until 

 I had reached the bluff above the beach where my 

 hut stood, and saw the glimmer of the stars in the 

 placid water of the little bay. 



I had seen nobody, but all the while I felt that 

 something or somebody was following me, for that 

 unearthly voice mocked me all along the trail through 

 the thick woods, and left me only at the verge of the 

 clearing. 



And this was the termination of my first day in 

 the forest, which had opened so blithely in the morn- 

 ing — had seen me go forth so full of hopeful anticipa- 

 tions, only to return disturbed by dismal fears. 



