es, you needn't sneer. You're such a wooden-headed, solid chap,
nothing ever shakes you; but it was a very awful sensation."

"I wasn't sneering," said Vince, "because I felt just the same."

"You did?"

"Yes, that I did, and though I wanted to laugh at it because it was
absurd, I couldn't then. But, I say, though, we might try and get to
the end of that cave, just to see how far it goes."

"Ugh! It's bad enough going through a dark hole with a stone floor."

"Till you're used to it. See how we came down this morning."

"Yes, but we weren't wading through cold, black water, with all kinds of
live things waiting to make a grab at you."

"Nonsense! If there were any things there they'd soon scuttle out of
our way."

"Ah, you don't know," said Mike. "In a place like this they grow big
because they're not interfered with. Those were the biggest seals I
ever saw."

"Yes, they were tidy ones. The biggest, I think."

"Yes, and there may be suckers there. Ugh! fancy one of those things
getting one of his eight legs, all over suckers, round you, and trying
to pull you into his hole."

"Take out your knife and cut the arm off. They're not legs."

"I don't know what they are: just as much legs as arms. They walk on
'em. Might be lobsters and crabs, too, as big as we are. Think of one
of them giving you a nip!"

"Wish he would," said Vince, with a grin. "We'd soon have him out and
cook him."

"Couldn't," said Mike. "Take too big a pot."

"Then we'd roast him; and, I say, fancy asking Jemmy Carnach down to
dinner!"

"Yes," cried Mike, joining in the laugh. "He'd eat till his eyes would
look lobstery too, and your father would have to give him such a dose."

"It don't want my father to cure Jemmy Carnach when he's ill," said
Vince scornfully. "I could do that easy enough."

"And how would you do it, old clever?"

"Tie him up for two or three days without anything to eat. Pst! Hear
that?"

"Yes," said Mike, in a whisper, as a peculiar hollow plashing sound
arose some distance down the low dark passage, and the water at the
mouth became disturbed. "Shoal of congers, perhaps--monsters."

"Pooh! It was another seal coming out till it saw or heard us, and then
it gave a wallop and turned back. Look here, I'll wade in this
afternoon if you will."

Mike spun round on his heels. "No, thank you," he cried. "Come on, and
let's look round to see if all's right."

A few minutes proved that ev