boat, as it rose and fell
on the beautiful clear sea. Below us were the rocks, which could be
seen far enough down, all draped with the brown and golden-looking weed;
and we felt as if it was a shame not to have a line over the side for
pollack or mackerel on such a lovely afternoon. But there was to be no
fishing, for my father evidently had some serious object in hand,
telling us how to pull so as to keep regularly along at a certain
distance from the mighty wall of rock that was on our left till, about a
mile from the Gap, where there were a great deal of piled-up stone in
huge fragments that had fallen from the cliff, he suddenly told Bigley
to easy, and me to row. Then both together, with the result that we
pulled right into a little bay where the cliff not only seemed to go up
perpendicularly, but to overhang, while in one place at the bottom a
dark patch or two showed where caves ran right in.

As we neared the shore he bade us cease rowing, and taking one of the
oars he threw it over the stern, and sculled the boat in and out among
the rocks that were half covered by the sea, threading his way
carefully, and finally beaching her on a soft patch of sand.

We all leaped out, and the little anchor was thrown ashore to keep the
boat safe while we went away.

"For neither of you will care to be boat-keeper," said my father
smiling.

"What are you going to do?" I asked as we walked up together.

"Don't ask questions, my boy," he replied quietly. "If I tell you, of
course you cannot, without seeming mysterious, refuse to tell your
companions, and I do not care to say much at present. It does not
matter, but I prefer not to talk."

We walked up straight to the caves, which were very beautiful, covered
as their mouths were with ivy and ferns, while over each a perfect sheet
of dripping rain fell like a screen and threatened to soak anyone who
attempted to enter.

We did not attempt it, for my father led us away to the west, and soon
after, hammer in hand, he was examining the cliff-face and the various
blocks of stone that had fallen down in days gone by.

We walked on for a time, but it soon became too monotonous, and we took
to something to amuse ourselves, to my father's great satisfaction, for
he evidently now preferred to be alone.

We did not watch him, but to me it seemed evident enough that he was
searching for minerals, of which he believed that he had seen some
trace.

As for us, we rather e