interior of the outer cave.

Then, slowly drawing back, after a couple of minutes' searching
examination, he spoke to Mike in a whisper.

"There isn't a sign of anybody," he said; "and I can't hear a sound.
Come on, and let's risk it."

Their pulses beat high as, bracing themselves together, they stepped
right from the low archway, moving very cautiously, so as to gaze out as
far as they could command at the cove.

They fully expected to see some good-sized vessel lying there, or at
least a large boat; but there were the sea-birds and the hurrying
waters--nothing more. "They must have gone," whispered Vince. "Unless
they are where we can't see--round by their cave."

"I believe they've gone," said Vince; and they stepped in on to the
soft, loose sand, to find everything belonging to them untouched. Then,
gaining confidence, Mike stepped boldly inward, right up to the
right-hand corner beneath the fissure, and stood listening, but there
was not a sound.

"Right," he whispered, as he stepped back: "they have gone."

But the boy's heart beat faster as he led the way now to the entrance of
the inner cave; for there was the possibility of the passage being
blocked, and, another thing, it was early morning, and the smugglers
might be sleeping still in the soft sand.

Vince whispered his fears, and then, going first, he passed into the
narrow passage without a sound, and stole cautiously along it till he
could crane his head round and look.

For some moments he could see nothing, but by degrees his eyes grew
accustomed to the soft gloom, and the walls and roof and sandy floor
gradually stood out before his eyes, and the next minute, to his great
joy, he could see the rope running up into the dark archway and
disappearing there.

Nothing more: no sound of heavy breathing but his own--no trace of
danger whatever.

He drew back again and placed his lips to his companion's ear.

"It's all right," he whispered; "they must have gone. Shall we step
back and go to the far cave and see?"

"No," said Mike decisively. "Home."

"Yes: home!" said Vince. "Come on."

Leading once more, he stepped into the cavern, whose interior now grew
plainer and plainer to their accustomed eyes, and, crossing at once to
the bottom of the slope, he seized the rope and gave it a sharp tug.

"Will you go first?" he whispered.

"I don't mind," replied Mike. "No,--you;" and Vince tightened the rope
again, feeling that in a very sh