you, and so I come."

"Josh!" cried the lad.

"Yes, my son. Well, what's going to be done? We can't stop down here.
We shall be wanted aboard, and there ain't a bit o' anything to eat."

"Do you think when we are missed that they will come and look for us?"

"Well," said Josh slowly, "they might or they mightn't; but if they did
they wouldn't find us."

"I don't know," said Will thoughtfully.

"Well, I think I do, lad," said Josh, after another scrub at his nose.
"I don't s'pose anybody in Peter Churchtown knows that this gashly old
hole is here, and it ain't likely they'd come up here to look for us."

"But they would hunt for us surely, Josh."

"Dunno. When they missed us they'd say we'd took a boat and gone out
somewheres to fish, and happened on something--upset or took out to sea
by the current."

"Yes," said Will thoughtfully.

"Seems to me, lad, as it's something like a lobster-pot--easy enough to
get in, and no way out."

"Shall we shout for help?"

"You can if you like," said Josh quietly. "I sha'n't. It makes your
throat sore, and don't do no good."

"Don't be cross with me, Josh," cried Will excitedly.

"Oh! I arn't cross with you, lad; I'm cross with myself. It's allus my
way: I never did have no head. Think o' me walking straight into a
corner like this, and no way hardly out. Well, anyhow, it's being
mate-like to you, my lad, and it won't be so dull."

"But, Josh, you could climb out and go for help."

"Why, of course I could," he replied. "I never thought of that."

"Then go at once. Bring a couple of men; and then if you left me the
rope you could haul me up."

"Why I could haul you up myself, couldn't I? and then nobody need know
anything about it. Here goes."

Will could not help a shudder as his companion proceeded to haul up the
portion of the rope that hung down in the shaft, coiling it in rings in
the gallery till it was all there.

"Now, then, you mind as that don't fall while I go up again," said Josh.
"I wish it warn't so gashly dark."

As he spoke he untied the loop from about his waist and drew the rope
tight from above.

"Just like me," he grumbled. "If I'd had any head I should have made
knots all down the rope, and then it would have been easy to climb; but
here goes; and mind when I'm up you make a good hitch and sit in it,
I'll soon have you up."

"Yes, I see," said Will, who was fighting hard against the nervous dread
that began once more to ass