ou go where I did, and keep straight on."

Keep straight on! It was, as he said, like grasping at water; and the
more I tore at it, in the hope of making a tunnel through, the more it
came pouring down, till in utter despair I gave it up and told Shock it
was no good.

"Never mind," he said. "It's dry and warm. I've been in worse places
than this is, where you couldn't keep the rain out. Let's sit down and
talk. I say I wish I'd got the rest o' my rabbud."

I didn't answer, for, hot, weary, and despairing at our position, I was
lying down on the sand with my hands covering my face.

I don't know how long a time passed, for I felt confused and strange;
but I was aroused by Shock, who exclaimed suddenly:

"Here, I want to get out of this. Let's have another try at scratching
a hole."

I heard him move, and then he struck a light again so as to see where to
begin.

"Must know, you see," he said. "If I get scratching at the wrong side,
it would take so long to get out."

In spite of my trouble I could not help feeling amused, there seemed to
be something so droll in the idea of Shock burrowing his way right into
the hill and expecting to get out; but the next moment I was listening
to him and watching the tiny spark at the end of the burned match die
out.

Rustle, rustle, rustle, he went on, and every now and then there was a
loud panting such as some wild animal would make. Then I uttered a cry
of fear, for I felt a quantity of sand strike me and I bounded aside,
for it seemed that the top was coming down.

"What's matter?" cried Shock, stopping short.

"Nothing," I said as I realised the cause of my fright. "Some of the
sand hit me."

"What! some as I chucked behind me?"

"Yes."

The scratching and tearing went on again, and I felt the sand scattered
over me several times, but the fear did not attack me again.

All at once there was a soft rushing noise, and Shock uttered a yell
which seemed to make my heart leap.

"Shock!" I cried, "Shock!" but there was no answer, only a scuffling
noise. "Shock! where are you?"

The scuffling noise continued, and their there was a loud panting, a cry
of "Oh!" and my companion staggered by me.

"Shock!" I cried.

"Oh! I say," he groaned, "I've got it all in my eyes agen. A lot come
down and buried me. I sha'n't do it no more."

He uttered a series of strange gasps and cries, shaking himself,
spitting, and stamping on the ground.

"I swallowed l