he knife.

All the while the tide kept coming higher, until it was now to their
waists. But they had not yet made enough notches to enable them to
stand up, clinging by their hands and toes. For it needed four niches
for each lad--eight laboriously-cut holes in the wall, four niches for
the hands and four for the feet, some distance apart. Even when this
was done it would only raise them about twenty inches. Would that be
enough?

"We can't cut any more after this," said Frank dully, when they had
almost finished the eight.

"Why not?"

"Because we can't hold on in these and cut any more. The footing isn't
good enough. If we only had a sort of platform to stand on, we could
reach up higher. As it is, I'm afraid this isn't going to do much
good--that is for very long. The water is still rising."

"If we only had some sticks," exclaimed Andy hopelessly. "We could
drive them in the dirt, leaving the ends projecting, and then we could
go up, like on a ladder."

"But we haven't any sticks."

"Maybe there are some on the shelf where are standing; imbedded in it."

It was a slim chance, but worth trying, and by turns they stooped over
and felt down beneath the water. This had the effect of wetting them
to their shoulders, but not a piece of wood could they discover.
Helplessly they stared at each other in the dying gleam of their
electric torches. Relentlessly the water mounted higher.

"We might as well get up in the niches," said Andy, after another long
pause. "We may not be able to climb if we wait too long."

"Wait as long as possible," advised his brother in a low voice.

"Why so?"

"Because it's going to be hard to cling there. It's a stiff position
to hold, and we ought to stay here, where we have a good footing, as
long as possible. There's time enough when the water gets up to our
shoulders."

It was like waiting for almost certain death, but the boys never lost
their hearts. Somehow they felt that there would be a way out--yet how
it would come they dared not even imagine. They only hoped and--waited.

"We'd better climb up now," said Frank at length. "You go first, Andy,
and get a good hold. I'll follow."

"Why don't you go first?"

"Oh, you might fall."

"So might you."

"Go ahead, I tell you!" and Frank spoke more sharply to his brother
than he had ever done before. Andy turned and clambered up in the
niches. They had cut them slanting to give their feet and hands a
be