rection and then in another. Every way we could think of did we try,
but could not stir the anchor, and as we were giving up in despair Bob
said:

"I know; some big sea-monster has swallowed the hook and he won't move.
Here, let's get ashore."

"But we must not lose a new grapnel," cried Bigley. "Here, I know what
we'll do."

He hastily unfastened the rope from the ring-bolt in the bows, and
secured it to the boat-hook by a hitch or two, and then cast it
overboard.

"There!" he said; "that will buoy it, and I'll come out to-morrow and
get it up somehow."

Then taking the oars he rowed us ashore, where a couple of the mine men
were smoking their pipes and shining like glowworms as they waited to
see what sport we had had.

The news spread respecting our exceptionally good fortune; and as soon
as the two men had helped to haul the boat right up beyond the reach of
the tide, as the grapnel was gone, they ran up to the miners' village
and came trooping back with the rest, armed with baskets, dishes, and in
some cases only bare-handed, to receive their portions of our big haul.

They gave us a cheer, and soon afterwards we parted, Bob Chowne to sleep
at the smuggler's cottage, while I went back to the Bay.

I woke at daylight next morning, and not feeling disposed to sleep, I
dressed and started off for the Gap to rouse up Bigley and Bob and
propose a bathe; but as I came in sight of the Gap mouth I found Bigley
already astir and just going down to the boat.

I shouted and ran down to him waving my towel, to which he answered by
waving another, showing that he had risen with a similar idea to my own.

"I thought I would have a bathe, and do some business too," he said; and
then, in answer to my inquiring look, "Try and get up the grapnel," he
added.

"Oh!" I exclaimed; "but why didn't you rouse up Bob?"

"Rouse up Bob!" he said gruffly. "Go and try and rouse up that block of
stone!"

"What! Have you tried?" I said.

"Tried! I've shaken him, and punched him, and done everything I could
but drenched him, and that would be a pity. He don't want to get up; so
let him lie. Here, help me run the boat down."

I laid hold of one side, we balanced her on an even keel, and as it was
down a steep slope we soon ran her into the water, jumped aboard, and
began paddling out down the narrow part that formed the bed of the river
on the seaward side of the pebble ridge.

The tide was very low, the sun up bright