and crying, and assuring me that we were saved.

Straightway I found myself mounted with him on the back seat of a
coach. We were tearing along at breakneck speed in the twilight of a
winter afternoon; there was a great roaring in the air, which drowned
even the rattle of the wheels, and looking round I was horrified to see
following us a great onrushing wall of water, as though the sea had
overflowed the land. Faster and faster became our wild gallop, but the
huge line of breakers was gaining on us every moment; now we were
overtaken, and a great wave was rearing its head above us to sweep us
to destruction. I heard a muffled voice shout, "Stand from under!"
There was a crash, a blaze of light, and I became unconscious.

Long after, whole centuries later it might have been, I became aware of
the fact that I was staring upward at some oblong patch of light.
Slowly this resolved itself into an opening in the roof of the passage,
and I realized that two men and a boy were staring down at me in mute
astonishment. Then, as my dizzy brain grew clear for a moment, I
recognized the last named as Miles Coverthorne.

Once more the roar of a troubled sea was in my ears; I had a horrible
idea that I had been thrust down into a vault and should be buried
alive. I made one last frantic effort to retain my failing senses.

"Miles," I cried pitifully, "take me out! Don't let them bury me! I'm
Sylvester Eden!"

I could not hear his reply, but saw him move his head and hand, and the
next moment I had been whirled away once more into darkness beyond even
the land of dreams.

CHAPTER XVIII.

A FURTHER FIND.

I awoke quite naturally, as though from a deep sleep, to find myself in
bed, with Mrs. Coverthorne and a strange gentleman standing close by,
looking down at me as I lay. I recognized the room, and had some hazy
idea that this was a continuation of my summer holiday.

"Well?" said the gentleman, smiling; "feeling better after your nap?"

I felt too drowsy to reply, but languidly allowed the stranger to feel
my pulse, which he did after lugging a huge watch out of his fob.

"Keep him snug in bed for a day or two," I heard him say, "and he'll be
all right. Forty years ago I dare say I could have gone through it
myself without much hurt. I'll make up something, and send it by the
boy."

I was asleep again before they left the room, and did not wake till
Mrs. Coverthorne roused me to take some beef tea. Slo