dder here?"

"No," said Gwyn, "we've left our shoes and stockings outside."

"Very well; go that way, then."

"Yes," said Joe, "it's better than going up the shaft; the ladders look
so wet, and the water drops upon you. I saw it dripping yesterday.
Come on."

He stepped into the adit, and Gwyn followed.

"Don't want a light, I s'pose?" said Hardock.

"Oh, no; we shall see the sunshine directly," said Gwyn; and the two
boys retraced their wet steps, soon caught sight of the light shining
in, and made their way out to the platform, where they sat down in the
sunshine to wipe their feet with their handkerchiefs, and then put on
socks and boots, each giving his feet a stamp as he rose erect.

"Isn't the water cold! My feet are like ice," said Joe.

"They'll soon get warm climbing up these ladders," said Gwyn. "But
steady! Don't jump about; this platform doesn't seem any too safe.
I'll ask father to have the stout rail put round. Shall I go first?"

"No; you came down first," said Joe. "My turn now. But I say, I'd a
deal rather go up and down in a bucket. What a height it seems."

"Well, make it less," said Gwyn. "Up with you! don't stand looking at
it. I want to be at the top."

"So do I," said Joe, as he stood holding on by one of the rounds of the
ladder, they two and the platform looking wonderfully small on the face
of that immense cliff; the platform bearing a striking resemblance to
some little bracket nailed against a wall, and occupied by two sparrows.

Then, uttering a low sigh, Joe began to mount steadily, and as soon as
he was a dozen feet up, Gwyn followed him.

"It doesn't do to look upwards, does it?" said Joe, suddenly, when they
had been climbing for about half-a-minute.

"Well, don't think about it, then. And don't talk. You want all your
breath for a job like this."

Joe was silent, and the only sounds heard were the scraping of their
boots on the wooden spells, and the crying of the gulls squabbling over
some wave-tossed weed far below.

Then, all at once, when he was about half-way up, Joe suddenly stopped
short, but Gwyn did not notice it till his cap was within a few inches
of the other's boots.

"Well, go on," he cried cheerily. "What's the matter--out of breath?"

"No."

"Eh? What is it--what's the matter?" said Gwyn, for he was startled by
the tone in which the word was uttered.

"I--I don't know," came back in a hoarse whisper, which sent a shudder
through Gwy