scents, so that they could run down quickly; and in several places a
hammer and cold chisel had been utilised so as to chip out a foothold.

In the caverns themselves there was a fireplace, a keg which they kept
supplied with water, a small saucepan, a little frying-pan, and a common
gridiron, all of which had been bought and brought for them by the
skipper of the little smack which touched at the island like a marine
carrier's cart once a week.

Then they had an axe and saw, and stored up driftwood for their fire;
fishing lines and a good supply of hooks; a gaff and many other objects,
including towels--for the pools in the outer cavern's mouth were now
their regular places for bathing.

As the time went on the novelty of possessing such a curious secret
place did not wear off. On the contrary, the satisfaction it afforded
them grew, the more especially that the journey to and fro had become
much more simple, for they had picked out the easiest way through the
oak wood, knew the smoothest path among the granite blocks, and were
always finding better ways of threading the rugged chaos at the bottom
of the ridge slope.

As far as they could see ahead it seemed to them that there was nothing
more to discover, and they might go on keeping the place entirely to
themselves till they were grown up.

But at sixteen or so we do not know everything. It was the day after
the conversation at the old manor-house that, after a long morning with
Mr Deane, the two boys met as usual, and started in the opposite
direction to that which they intended to take, for they had not taken
many steps before Vince kicked out sidewise and struck Mike on the boot.

"What did you do that for?" said the other angrily.

"'Cause I liked;" and a tussle ensued, half serious on one side, jocular
on the other.

"Now," whispered Vince, "break away and run towards that bay, and I'll
chase you."

"What for? What's come to you this afternoon?"

"Don't look round. Old Daygo's sitting under a stone yonder smoking his
pipe."

Mike obeyed, running off as hard as he could go, chased by Vince, till
they were well out of sight, and then, by making a _detour_ of a good
half-mile, they reached the oak wood a long way north of their customary
way of entrance, and began to plod onward towards their goal.

"That's what they call throwing dust in any one's eyes, isn't it?" said
Mike, laughing.

"Yes," said Vince, "and we shall have to make it sand with