"Because you can see the rock bottom. It's shallow as shallow."

"And how do you know that it doesn't go down like a wall as soon as you get in?"

"We could feel our way with a stick, step by step; or, I know, we'd get the rope--bring a good long one--and I'd fasten it round your waist and stand at the door and send you in. Of course I'd soon pull you out if you went down."

"Thank you," cried Mike, "you are kind. My mother said you were such a nice boy, Cinder, and she was glad I had you for a companion, as the Crag was so lonely. You are a very nice boy, 'pon my word."

"Yes; I wouldn't let you drown," said Vince.

"Thank ye. I say, Cinder, when you catch me going into a place like that, just you tell me of it, there's a good fellow."

Vince laughed.

"Why, who knows what's in there?" said Mike, with a shiver.

"Ah! who knows?" said Vince merrily. "I tell you what it is, Ladle: that must be the place where the things live that old Joe talked about."

"What things?"

"Those that take hold of a boat under water, and pull it along till it can't come back and is never heard of again."

"Ah, you may grin, Cinder," said Mike seriously; "but, do you know, I thought all that when we were out yonder in the boat. It felt just as if some great fish had seized it and was racing it along as hard as it could, and more than once I fancied we should never get back."

"Did you?" said Vince quietly.

"Yes, you needn't sneer. You're such a wooden-headed, solid chap, nothing ever shakes you; but it was a very awful sensation."

"I wasn't sneering," said Vince, "because I felt just the same."

"You did?"

"Yes, that I did, and though I wanted to laugh at it because it was absurd, I couldn't then. But, I say, though, we might try and get to the end of that cave, just to see how far it goes."

"Ugh! It's bad enough going through a dark hole with a stone floor."

"Till you're used to it. See how we came down this morning."

"Yes, but we weren't wading through cold, black water, with all kinds of live things waiting to make a grab at you."

"Nonsense! If there were any things there they'd soon scuttle out of our way."

"Ah, you don't know," said Mike. "In a place like this they grow big because they're not interfered with. Those were the biggest seals I ever saw."

"Yes, they were tidy ones. The biggest, I think."

"Yes, and there may be suckers there. Ugh! fancy one of those things getting one of his eight legs, all over suckers, round you, and trying to pull you into his hole."

"Take out your knife and cut the arm off. They're not legs."

"I don't know what they are: just as much legs as arms. They walk on 'em. Might be lobsters and crabs, too, as big as we are. Think of one of them giving you a nip!"

"Wish he would," said Vince, with a grin. "We'd soon have him out and cook him."

"Couldn't," said Mike. "Take too big a pot."

"Then we'd roast him; and, I say, fancy asking Jemmy Carnach down to dinner!"

"Yes," cried Mike, joining in the laugh. "He'd eat till his eyes would look lobstery too, and your father would have to give him such a dose."

"It don't want my father to cure Jemmy Carnach when he's ill," said Vince scornfully. "I could do that easy enough."

"And how would you do it, old clever?"

"Tie him up for two or three days without anything to eat. Pst! Hear that?"

"Yes," said Mike, in a whisper, as a peculiar hollow plashing sound arose some distance down the low dark pa.s.sage, and the water at the mouth became disturbed. "Shoal of congers, perhaps--monsters."

"Pooh! It was another seal coming out till it saw or heard us, and then it gave a wallop and turned back. Look here, I'll wade in this afternoon if you will."

Mike spun round on his heels. "No, thank you," he cried. "Come on, and let's look round to see if all's right."

A few minutes proved that everything was precisely as they had left it; and as soon as they had come to this conclusion, they found themselves opposite the fissure which led into the other cavern.

Mike glanced at the rope and grapnel, and then back inquiringly at his companion.

"No!" said Vince, answering the unspoken question that he could plainly read in Mike's eyes; "we can have a good afternoon without going there."

"How? What are we going to do?"

"Fish," said Vince shortly.

"But I should like to go and see if everything is there just the same as it was."

"If it has been there for a hundred years, as you say, it's there all right still. Come on."

"But I should just like to have a peep in one or two of the packages, Cinder."

"Yes, I know you would; but you promised not to want to meddle, or I wouldn't have come. Now didn't you?"

"All right," said Mike sulkily; "but I did think you were a fellow who had more stuff in you. There, you won't do anything adventurous."

"Yes, I will," cried Vince quickly: "I'll get the lanthorn and go and explore the seal's hole, if you'll come."

"And get bitten to death by the brutes. No, thankye."

"Bitten to death! Just as if we couldn't settle any number of seals with sticks or conger clubs!"

"Ah, well, you go and settle 'em, and call me when you've done."