or steatite.

"Pretty safe now," whispered Vince.

_Plash_!

"Ugh!" ejaculated Mike. "What's that?"

"Seal or some big fish," said Vince: "something we've driven in before
us."

"I don't want to be a coward, Cinder," whispered Mike; "but if it's a
great conger, I don't know what I should do."

"Hit at it," replied Vince. "I should, even if I felt in a regular
squirm. But we needn't mind. The things we've driven up before us are
sure to be in a horrible flurry, and all they'll think about will be of
trying to get away."

"Think so?"

"Why, of course. You don't suppose there are any of the things that old
Joe talked about, do you?"

"No, of course that's nonsense; but the congers may be very big and
fierce, and isn't this the sort of place they would run up?"

"I dunno. S'pose so," said Vince. "They get in holes of the rocks, of
course; but I don't know whether they'd get up such a big, long cave as
this. Wonder how far it goes in? Pst!"

Vince grasped his companion's arm tightly, for they were having a proof
of the wonderful way in which sound was carried along the surface of the
water, especially in a narrow passage such as that in which they had
taken refuge.

For all at once the murmur of voices sounded as if it were approaching
them, and their hearts seemed to stand still, as they believed that they
were being pursued.

But the next minute they knew that the speakers were only standing at
the mouth of the cave and looking in, one of the men apparently
whispering close to them, and with perfect distinctness:--

"Seals," he said. "I came and listened last time I was here, and you
could hear 'em splashing and walloping about in the water. Like to go
on in?"

"No," said another voice. "Get 'em up in a corner and they'll show
fight as savage as can be; and they can bite too."

"Good polt on the head with a club settles them, though, soon enough."

"Ay, but who's to get to hit at 'em, shut up in a hole where you haven't
room to swing your arm? 'sides, they're as quick as lightning, and
they'll come right at you."

"What, attack?"

"Nay, I don't say that: p'r'aps it's on'y trying to get away; but if one
of they slippery things comes between your legs down you must go."

"Think there's any in now?"

"Bound to say there are. They comes and goes, though. Listen: p'r'aps
you'll hear one."

As it happened, just then there was a peculiar splashing and wallowing
sound from some distance