y we are not here, and go away
again as wise as they came."

Jack saw the wisdom of this proposal. They accordingly groped their way
on, aided by the light, which, though dim, pervaded the part of the
cavern they had reached. Every now and then they stopped, and, on
looking back, could still see the entrance, with the bright sea beyond
it.

At length they came to a rock, which seemed to stop their further
progress; but, feeling about them, found that the cavern made a turn
here to the left. They now proceeded with the greatest caution, for
fear of coming to some hole down which they might fall.

"If we had a torch we might see what sort of a place we have got to,"
observed Jack.

"But we haven't got a torch, and no chance of getting one; and so we
must find out by making good use of our hands," answered Bill. "We must
move slowly on, and feel every inch of the way, putting out one hand
before we lift up the other."

They were groping forward on their hands and knees, and were in total
darkness; still, as they looked back, there was a faint glimmer of
light, which appeared round the corner of the rock, and this would
enable them to find their way back again. Hitherto they had met only
with smooth rock, gently inclining upwards; possibly it might lead them,
if they went on long enough, to the top of the cliff, though they hoped
that there was no opening in that direction.

Here, at all events, they thought that they should be secure, even
should their pursuers enter the cavern.

As they were getting hungry, they agreed to go back and eat their
breakfast in daylight near the spring, which would afford them a draught
of cool water. They returned as they had come, feeling their way along
the rock.

Just before they reached the turning in the cavern, they discovered a
recess which would hold both of them; and they agreed to make it their
hiding-place should the soldiers by any chance come to look for them.

Without much difficulty they got back to the spot where they had slept,
which was close to the stream. Here they sat down, and produced the
provisions which they had brought from the tower. On examining their
stock, they calculated that they had sufficient to last them for a
couple of days.

"When that's gone, what shall we do?" asked Jack.

"We must try to pick up some shell-fish from the rocks," answered Bill.
"The soldiers by that time will have got tired of looking for us, and if
any persons from