frained and rose
up once more.

"That will do for to-day," he said, to Will's disappointment; and for
the time it seemed as if the white vein of soft rock was not worthy of
notice; but Will noted one thing, and so did Dick. It was that Mr
Temple carefully replaced the brambles and overgrowth before climbing
higher to the very top of the rift, where he could look out on the open
country before he descended and joined the two boys again.

"Now," he said shortly, "back to the boat."

It needed no little skill to get aboard the boat, but Josh handled her
so well that he sent her stern close up to the rock upon which they had
landed; but just as Mr Temple was about to step on to the rock, in came
a wave, and it was flooded two feet deep.

"Little quicker next time, sir," shouted Josh.

"Will you go first, Dick?" said Mr Temple. "Or no; I will," he added;
and this time he managed so well that he stepped on to the rock as it
was left dry, and from it to the gunwale of the boat as it came towards
him, and thence on board.

"Now, Dick, watch your time," said Mr Temple as he sat down.

"All right, father!" shouted back Dick. "I can do it."

"Don't hurry, master," said Josh, as the stone was once more flooded.
"Now!" he cried, as the wave sank again.

"One, two, three warning!" shouted Dick, and he jumped on to the rock as
it was left bare again, and then found himself sliding on a piece of
slimy sea-weed rapidly towards the edge. He made a tremendous effort to
recover himself; but it had the contrary effect, and as the next wave
came in poor Dick went into it head over heels, and down into deep
water.

Arthur uttered a cry, and Mr Temple started up in the boat.

"Sit down!" roared Josh; "he'll come up, and I'll put you alongside
him."

Almost as he spoke Dick's head popped up out of the water, and he shook
the hair out of his eyes and swam towards the boat, into which he half
climbed, was half dragged, and there stood dripping and looking
astonished.

"I say, how was that?" he said, staring from one to the other. "I
couldn't stop myself. It was like being on ice."

"Sea-weed," said Josh gruffly. "Steady, Will, lad. Don't _you_ come
aboard that way."

Will did not, but stepped lightly from rock to rock and then into the
boat, hardly wetting his feet.

"If I was you, Master Dick," said Josh, "I'd take an oar and row going
back--leastwise if we be going back. Then you won't hurt a bit."

"I was going