Half an hour later they had reached the edge of the cliff, sat down with their legs dangling over the side, and searched the sea for the rocks they had threaded and for signs of the swift current.

But at the end of some minutes Vince only uttered a grunt and threw himself backward, to lie with his hands under his head.

"I can't make anything of it, Ladle," he said impatiently; "and I'm not going to bother. It looked horribly dangerous when we were in it yesterday, but it only seems beautiful to-day."

"Yes," said Mike; "it's because we're so far off, and things are so much bigger than they look. But it was dangerous enough without having the boat leak."

"Horribly," said Vince. "I wonder we ever got back. Won't try it again, then?" he added, after awhile.

"No, I won't," cried Mike, more emphatically than he had spoken that day.

"Well, I don't think I will, Ladle; only I feel as if I had been beaten."

"So do I: as sore all over as sore."

"Tchah! I don't mean that kind of beating: beaten when I meant to win and sail right into the cove in front of the caves. I say, it wasn't worth taking old Joe's boat for and making a hole in the bottom."

"No; and we haven't said a single word about it yet."

"Felt too tired. I don't care. He'll kick up a row, and say there's ten times as much damage done to it as there really is, and it's next to nothing. Five shillings would more than pay for it. I'll pay part: I've got two-and-fourpence-halfpenny at home; but it's a bother, for I wanted to send and buy some more fishing tackle. Mine's getting very old."

"Well, I'll pay all," said Mike. "I've got six shillings saved up."

"No, that won't be fair," said Vince; "I want to pay as near half as I can."

"Well, but you want to buy some hooks and lines, and I shall use those as much as I like."

"Of course," said Vince, as Mike followed his example and let himself sink back on the soft turf, to lie gazing up at the blue sky overhead; "but it won't be the same. I helped poke the hole in the boat, and I mean to pay half. I tell you what: we'll pay for the damage together, and then you'll have enough left to pay for the fishing lines, and I can use them."

"Well, won't that be just the same?"

"No; of course not," said Vince. "The lines will be yours, and you won't be able to bounce about, some day when you're in an ill-temper, and say you were obliged to pay for mending the boat."

"Very well; have it that way," said Mike.

"And we ought to go over and see the old man, and tell him what we did."

"He doesn't want any telling. He has found it out long enough ago.

There was the sail rolled up anyhow, too. I was too much f.a.gged to put it straight. When shall we go and see him?"

"I dunno. I don't want to move, and I don't want to have to tell him.

He'll be as savage as can be."

The boys lay perfectly still now, without speaking or moving; and the gulls came up from below, to see what was the meaning of four legs hanging over the cliff in a row, and then became more puzzled apparently on finding two bodies lying there at the edge; consequently they sailed about to and fro, with their grey backs shining as they wheeled round and gazed inquiringly down, till one, bolder than the rest, alighted about a dozen yards away.

"Keep your eyes shut, Ladle," said Vince. "Birds are coming to peck 'em out."

"They'd better not," said Mike.

"I say, couldn't we train some gulls, and harness them to a sort of chair, and make them fly with us off the cliff? They could do it if they'd only fly together. I wonder how many it would take."

"Bother the old gulls! Don't talk nonsense. When shall we go and see the old man?"

"Must do it, I suppose," said Vince. "Yes, we ought to: it's so mean to sneak out of it, else we might send him the five shillings. I hate having to go and own to it, but we must, Ladle. Let's take the dose now."

"Do what?" said Mike lazily.

"Go and take it, just as if it was salts and senna."

"Ugh!"

"Best way, and get it over. We've got to do it, and we may as well have it done."

"Yes."

"But I say, when are you going to the cave again? Not to-day?"

"No."

"To-morrow?"

"No."

"Next day?"

"Well, p'r'aps. See how I feel."

"Ready?"

"What for?"

"To go and see old Joe Daygo."

"Haven't got the money with me now."

"We'll go and fetch it, and then go to him."

Mike grunted.

"There, it's of no use to hang back, Ladle; we've got it to do, so let's get it done."

"Yes; you keep on saying we've got it to do, but you don't jump up to go and do it."

"I'm quite ready," said Vince; "and I'll jump up if you will. Now then, ready?"

"Don't bother."

"But we must go, Ladle."