English. We're not going to let him catch
us, are we?"

"It's horrible," said Mike. "Why, he'll kill us!"

"He hasn't caught us yet, I tell you, lad. Look here: we know
everything about the caves now, and we can go anywhere in the dark,
can't we?"

"Yes, I suppose so," said Mike dismally.

"Very well, then; we must wait till it's dark, and then creep out and
make for the way out."

"Is no way out now: it's either stopped up or watched."

"Well, then, we'll get out by the mouth of the smugglers' cave, and
creep up on to the cliffs somewhere."

"Current would wash us away; and if we could get to the cliffs you know
we shouldn't be able to climb up. We're not flies."

"Who said we were? Well, you are a cheerful sort of fellow to be with!"

"I don't want to be miserable, Cinder, old chap, but it does seem as if
we're in a hole now."

"Seem? Why we are in a hole, and a good long one too," said Vince,
laughing softly.

"Ah, I can't see anything to joke about. It's awful--awful! Cinder, we
shall never see home again."

"Bah! A deal you know about it, Ladle. That French chap daren't shoot
us or drown us. He knows he'd be hung if he did."

"And what good would it do us after he had killed us, if he was hung? I
shouldn't mind."

"Well, you are a cheerful old Ladle!" said Vince. "Why don't you cheer
up and make it pleasanter for me?"

"Pleasanter?" said Mike. "Oh!"

"Be quiet, and don't be stupid," said Vince. "Look here: don't forget
all you've read about chaps playing the hero when they are in great
difficulties."

"Who's going to play the hero when he's up to his knees in cold water?"
cried Mike bitterly.

"Well, he has a better chance than if he was up to his neck; same as
that fellow would have a better chance than one who was out of his
depth."

"I say," cried Mike excitedly, "does the tide run up here and fill the
cave?"

"No. It was high water when we came in, wasn't it? We never saw it
more than half-way up the arch. Now look here, Ladle: we're in a mess."

"As if I didn't know!"

"And we've got to get ourselves out of it, because nobody knows anything
about this place or our having come here. Think Lobster will say he has
seen us come this way once? He's sure to hear we're missing and that
they're looking for us."

"I don't suppose he will," said Mike dismally. "If they came this way
they wouldn't find the hole. They'll think we've gone off the cliff and
been drowne