he slope so sharply that he rolled over in the sand at the
bottom.

"Below!" shouted Vince; and he charged down after him, sitting on his
heels, and also having his upset. "I say, though, I hope no one has
been."

They walked across the deep, yielding sand, with the soft pearly light
playing on the ceiling; peered through into the outer cave; and then
Mike, who was first, darted back, for there was a loud splash and the
sound as of some one wallowing through the water at the cave mouth.

"Only a seal," cried Vince. "There goes another."

He ran forward over the sand in time to see a third pass out of a low,
dark archway at the right of the place where the clear water was all in
motion from the powerful creatures swimming through.

"I say, Mike, why don't we take the light some day and wade in there to
see how far it goes?" said Vince, as he looked curiously at the doorway
of what was evidently a regular seal's lurking-place.

"Because it's wet and dark; and how do we know that we could wade in
there?"

"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.

"Y