"Haul away, young un, and let's come in," he panted; and somehow he
managed to scramble in as Will held the rope taut.

"It ain't to be done," said Josh, sitting down and panting like a dog.
"If it were a cable I could go up it like a fly, but that there rope
runs through your legs and you can't get no stay."

"How far did you get, Josh?" whispered Will.

"Not above half-ways," grumbled Josh, "and I might have gone on trying;
but it was no good, I couldn't have reached. I say, my lad, what's
going to be done?"

CHAPTER EIGHT.

HOW WILL WOULD NOT PROMISE NOT TO DO THE "GASHLY" THING AGAIN.

It seemed that all they could do was to sit and think of there being any
likelihood of their being found, and Will asked at last whether anyone
knew where Josh was about to take the new rope.

"Nobody," he said gruffly. "I knowed you didn't want it known, so I
held my tongue."

"But who lent you the rope, Josh?"

"Nobody."

"Nobody?"

"Nobody. Folk won't lend noo ropes to a fellow without knowing what
they're going to do with 'em. I bought it."

"You bought it, Josh--with your own money?"

"Ain't got anybody else's money, have I?" growled Josh. "Here, I know.
What stoopids we are!"

"You know what?" cried Will.

"Why, how to get out o' this here squabble."

"Can you--find a way along this gallery, Josh?" said Will eagerly.

"Not likely; but we can get down to the water and go along the adit."

"Adit!" said Will; "is there one?"

"Sure to be, else the water would be up here ever so high. They didn't
bring all the earth and stones and water up past here, I know, when they
could get rid of 'em by cutting an adit to the shore."

Will caught the fisherman's arm in his hands. "I--I never saw it," he
cried.

"Well, what o' that? Pr'aps it's half hid among the stones. I dunno:
but there allus is one where they make a shaft along on the cliff."

"But what will you do?"

"Do, lad? Why, go down and see--or I s'pose I must feel; it'll be so
dark."

As Josh spoke he rose and got hold of the rope once more.

"No, no!" panted Will. "It is too dangerous, Josh, I can't let you go."

"I say, don't be stoopid, lad. We can't stop here; you know. Nobody
won't bring us cake and loaves o' bread and pilchard and tea, will
they?"

"But, Josh!"

"Look here, lad, it's easy enough going down, ain't it?"

"Yes, yes," cried Will; "but suppose there is no adit; suppose there is
no way out to the shore: how