down, but there was a tremendously long snuff with a
fungous top.

"I thought it was very dull," he said; and, moistening his fingers, he
snuffed the candle.--"Now we shall have a better light."

But unfortunately he had moistened his fingers too much, and the result
was that the shortened wick hissed, sputtered, burned blue, and then
without further warning went out.

"Oh!" cried Mike, in tones of horror, as they stood there in profound
darkness.

"Oh!" was echoed along the passage, and prolonged as if in a groan.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

THE SEA PALACE.

For a few moments neither of the boys spoke, but stood listening to the
dull roaring sound. Then Vince started, for he felt himself touched;
and he nearly uttered a cry of horror, but checked it by setting his
teeth hard as he grasped the fact that the touch came from Mike's hand,
which he seized and found to be cold and damp.

"Let's get back--quick, somehow," gasped the lad.

"Yes: come on. We can feel our way," replied Vince. "Keep hold of
hands. No, that would make it harder. Here, give me a piece of the
rope, and I'll put it round my waist, then you can hold on by that and
follow me. I think I can recollect exactly how it goes."

"Be quick!" said Mike, in an awe-stricken whisper, as he passed several
yards of the rope to his companion in misfortune; and this Vince
fastened round his waist, and then uttered an ejaculation.

"What is it?" cried Mike: "don't say something else is wrong."

"Wrong? No," cried Vince, whose hands had come in contact with the
creel: "I forgot the tinder-box."

"Ah!" cried Mike joyfully; and he pressed close to Vince, as the latter
sat down, took out the box, and began nicking away with the flint and
steel, making the scintillating sparks flash and send their feeble light
in all directions.

"Oh, do make haste!" panted Mike; "that dreadful roaring's coming
nearer."

"I can hear it," muttered Vince, as he kept on nicking; but not a spark
took hold of the tinder.

"Here, let me try," cried Mike.

"No, not yet: I'll do it. The tinder must have got damp."

"Turn it over, then," cried Mike piteously. "Oh, do make haste."

Vince thrust his fingers into the tinder-box to follow out his
companion's instructions, and uttered an impatient sound.

"What is it now?"

"Such an idiot!" cried Vince. "I never took the tin off the top of the
tinder."

And so it was that after the disk, which damped out the sparks after