e: they gazed about them
nervously, startled by the utter loneliness and desolation of the spot,
which might have been far away in some Eastern desert, instead of close
to the cliffs and commons about which they had played for years.

Granite blocks and boulders everywhere, save that in places there was a
patch of white heather, ling, or golden starry ragwort; and in spite of
their determination the desire was strong upon them to turn and hurry
back. But for either to have proposed this would have been equivalent
to showing the white feather; and for fear that Vince should for a
moment fancy that he was ready to shirk the task, Mike said roughly,
"Come on," and continued the climbing, reaching the top first, and
stretching out his hand, which was grasped by Vince, who pulled himself
up and sank down by his companion's side to gaze in wonder from the
rugged ridge they had won.

It was not like the edge of a cliff, but a thorough ridge, steep as the
roof of an old-fashioned house, down to where, some fifty feet below
them, the slope ended and the precipice began.

It was rugged enough, but as far as they could see to right or left
there was no way out: they were hemmed in by huge weathered blocks of
granite and the sea. There was the way back, of course; but the desire
upon both now was to go forward, for the curiosity which had been
growing fast ever since they started was now culminating, and they were
eager to penetrate the mystery of the place.

"What are we going to do next?" said Mike. "See if we can't get down to
the shore, of course;" and Vince seated himself between two rugged,
tempest-worn points of rock, and had a long, searching look beyond the
edge of the precipice below him.

First he swept the high barrier of detached rock which stretched before
him two hundred yards or so distant, and apparently shutting in a nearly
circular pool; for he and his companion were at the head of a deep
indentation, the stern granite cliffs curving out to right and left, and
seeming to touch the rocky barrier, which swarmed with birds on every
shelf and ledge, large patches looking perfectly white.

"Seems like a lake," said Mike suddenly, just as Vince was thinking the
same thing.

"Yes, but it can't be," said Vince. "Look down there to the left, how
the tide's rushing in. Looks as if a boat couldn't live in it a
moment."

"And if the tide rushes in boiling like that, there must be a way out.
Think there's a gre