ly. "There's a reef of rocks
just outside the mouth of that cave which, when the sea is at all
rough, makes a strong current and dangerous eddy. It's almost certain
that as soon as the boat got clear of the mouth of the cavern she was
caught in the swirl and swung round, and the men jumping up, or
throwing themselves about in a panic, turned her over."

Miles stood for a moment silently eyeing me with a curious look on his
face.

"I say, Sylvester," he began again, lowering his voice, "promise me you
won't say anything, but I believe one of them was saved."

"Who--old Lewis?" I asked excitedly.

My companion nodded.

"I've just heard the faintest rumour that his dog dragged him ashore on
a ledge below what's called the Old Quarry. At all events, the dog's
on land, and I take care not to ask too many questions about Lewis. A
man brought me a curious message, telling me to 'go down to the
seal-cave by the short cut, and see what I should find.' I couldn't
make head or tail out of it, and the man didn't seem to know the sense
of it either, but said it had been given him to pass on by a friend.
Now, when I come to think it over, I believe Lewis must sometime have
discovered the tunnel and hiding-place. He imagined I should know of
them too, and he thought he ought not to give the secret away to other
people. I suppose he judged this hint would be sufficient, and that I
should go down to the tunnel and rescue you and George.--By the way,"
added the speaker, turning on his heel to leave the room, "we've sent
word to your father and mother to say you're safe, and that you'll be
sent home to them as soon as you're well enough to travel."

After each long sleep I seemed to wake up stronger, and my thoughts
turned to Miles and his mother, from whom I was receiving so much
kindness. I remembered what the former had told me--of how his uncle
meant to claim half the estate at the commencement of the New Year,
which was now close at hand; and how, with straitened means, they
feared it would be impossible for them to live on at Coverthorne.
Several times I had been on the point of questioning Miles on the
matter, but it seemed such a painful subject that the words had died on
my lips.

Strangely enough, I could not but think that both he and his mother
looked more cheerful than when I had visited them last; and though
there still appeared an anxious expression in Mrs. Coverthorne's face,
there seemed also to be an air