But that fisher-boy was right in the cavern, so Arthur had to put on a
fresh bait himself. This done, and very badly too, he took the line in
hand once more, stood up on the thwart, spreading his legs wide apart to
steady himself, because the boat rocked; and then, after giving the
heavy lead a good swing, sent it off with a thrill of triumph, which
rapidly changed to a look of horror, accompanied by a yell of pain.

"Oh! oh! oh! oh!" cried Arthur. "My leg! my leg! my leg! Oh! help!
help! help!" and sitting down in the boat he began to drag in the line
rapidly, as he thoroughly realised the fact that he had caught a very
large and a very odd fish this time.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Zorn, the Cornish name for a sea-cave.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

PILCHAR' WILL PERFORMS A SURGICAL OPERATION; WHICH IS FOLLOWED BY A WET
WALK HOME.

While Arthur had been amusing himself by fishing, with the result just
told, his father had penetrated into the cave, closely followed by Dick,
Will, and lastly by Josh.

"I'll see fair for 'em anyhow," Josh said; and wetting his hands once
more, he followed the dancing light, closing up directly after Will.

"Shall we find anything here, father?" said Dick as his eyes wandered
over the dimly-seen masses of rugged rock above his head.

"Perhaps," said his father--"perhaps not. I want to find traces of some
good vein of ore; I don't care what, so long as it is well worth
working. Of course this place has been thoroughly explored before,--at
least I should expect so,--but changes are always taking place. Rock
shells off in time; great pieces fall and lay bare treasures that have
never before been seen."

"Treasures, father?" cried Dick eagerly.

"Yes, treasures. Not buried treasures--Spanish doubloons or ingots, my
boy, but nature's own treasures. We may as well hunt in all sorts of
places, for I mean to find something worth working before I have done."

"I say, father, isn't it all stuff and nonsense about anything living in
a cave like this?"

"What--of the hobgoblin kind, Dick?"

"Yes, father."

Mr Temple did not answer for a few moments, and then he replied in the
same low tone as that in which his son had asked the question.

"For shame, Dick!" he said softly.

That was all.

Dick felt it as a severe rebuke, and did not speak for a minute or two
as they went on winding in and out among the rocks, with the roof