ots o' sand, I think, and it come down on my back horrid.
You try now."

I hesitated, but felt that I must not be cowardly if I wished for us to
escape; and so I asked him to light a match again.

He did so, and by its feeble light I saw where to work, and also that,
the place seemed to be filling up with the sand, and that we had not
half so much room as we had at first.

Then out went the light, and with a desperate haste I went down on my
hands and knees and began to tear at and throw the sand behind me,
filling up our prison more and more, but doing nothing towards our
extrication, for as fast as I drew the sand away from the tunnel more
came; and at last, just as I began to think that I was making a little
progress, I heard a rustling, dribbling sound, some hard bits of
adhesive sand fell upon my head, and I instinctively started back, as
there was a rush that came over my knees, and I knew that if I had
remained where I was, tunnelling, I should have been buried.

"What, did you get it?" cried Shock, laughing.

I was so startled that I did not answer.

"Oh! he's buried!" cried Shock in a wild tone; and he threw himself by
me, and began to tear at the sand. "Mars Grant, Mars Grant," he cried
excitedly. "Don't leave me here alone."

"I'm not there, Shock," I said. "I jumped back."

"Then what did yer go and pretend as you was buried in the sand for?"
cried the boy savagely.

I did not reply, and I heard him go as far from me as he could,
muttering and growling to himself, and in spite of my position I could
not help thinking of what a curious and different side I was seeing of
Shock's character. I had always found him so quiet and reserved, and
yet it was evident that he could talk and think like the best of us, and
somehow it seemed as if in spite of the way in which he turned away he
had a sort of liking for me.

This idea influenced me so that I felt a kind of pity for my companion
in misfortune. That was a good deal in the direction of liking him in
return. I felt sorry that I had frightened him, and at last after a
good deal of thinking I said to him:

"Shock!"

"Hullo!"

"I'm sorry I made you think I was buried."

"Are yer?"

"Yes. Will you shake hands?"

"What for?"

This staggered me, and I could make no reply, and so we remained silent
for some time.

"Here, let's see," said Shock all at once. "Where's that there candle?"

"Here it is," I said, and as he struck a light I he