'How ?' 'In the ocean,' the first answered gaping.

'Went away off 'round the world an' they got a letter that said he was drownded on his way to Van Dieman's Land.' 'To Van Dieman's Land!' 'Yes, an some say the night man is the ghost o' the one he killed.' I remember waking that night and hearing excited whispers at the window near my bed.

It was very dark in the room and at first I could not tell who was there.
'Don't you see him ?' Tip whispered.
'Where ?' I heard Uncle Be ask 'Under the pine trees--see him move.' At that I was up at the window myself and could plainly see the dark figure of a man standing under the little pine below us.
'The night man, I guess,' said Uncle Be, 'but he won't do no harm.

Let him alone; he's going' away now.' We saw him disappear behind the trees and then we got back into our beds again.

I covered my head with the bedclothes and said a small prayer for the poor night man.
And in this atmosphere of mystery and adventure, among the plain folk of Faraway, whose care of me when I was in great need, and whose love of me always, I count among the priceless treasures of God's providence, my childhood passed.