Part 6 (1/2)
”Ay,” he said, ”if we'd knowed they was there, wethe rocks and dropped a net acrost, and then caught the lot”
”Mullet, weren't they?” said Vince
”Yes: grey ones,” said Mike, shading his eyes, and following the wave reyto eat S it into the water”
The boat went on after the shoal of fish, in and out along the great jagged rift leading seaward, their way see pyramid of rock partly detached froher and higher till they closed in overhead, forhly-arched tunnel, nearly dark; but as soon as they ell in, the light shi+ning through the end and displaying a fraht, of which enough was reflected to show that the sides of the tunnel-like cavern were dotted with limpets, and the soft, knob-shaped, contracted forms of sea anemones that, below the surface, would have displayed tentacles of every tint, studded, as it were, with gems
The roof a few feet above their heads echoed, and every word spoken hispering along, while the iron point and hook of the i click as it was struck upon side or roof from time to time
”I say,” cried Vince suddenly, ”we never tried for a conger along here, Mike”
”No good,” growled Daygo
”Why?” said Vince, argumentatively ”Looks just the place for them: it's dark and deep”
”Ay, so it is, boy; and I daresay there arn't so one back to sea as coers here?”
”Ay, big uns, too; but the botto for the eels to run in, and when you hook 'eave the boat a vigorous shove, and it glided out into the light once ed pyra up behind the thes to dry
A fe up, uttering peculiar cries, as the boat darted out of the dark arch beneath them; but, for the most part, they merely looked down and took no further notice--the boat and its little crew being too familiar an object to excite their fear, especially as its occupants did not land, and the egg-time was at an end
”Now, then, up with the h the boys stepped the little spar by thrusting its end through a hole in the forward thwart and down into a socket fixed in the inner part of the keel Then the stays were hooked on, hauled taut, and up went the little lug-sail s at once, and sending the boat gliding gently along over the rocks which showed clearly deep down through the crystal sea
”Soon kno to rimly, as he thrust an oar over the stern and used it to steer
”Manage a boat ourselves!” cried Mike ”I should think we could--eh, Vince?”
”Should think you could!” said the old”Ah! you think you could, but you can't Why, I hardly kno yet, after trying for fifty year Wants so up and down ready to make holes in the botto here far without ; but they felt the truth of the ed lided, now covering the, broken-out fangs; while on their left, as they steered north toward a huge projection, which ran right out on the far side of a little bay, the perpendicular cliffs rose up grey and grand, defended by buttresses formed by masses that had fallen, and pierced every here and there by caverns, into which the water ran and rushed with strange, hollohispering noises and slaps and gurglings, as if there were peculiar creatures far up in the darkness resenting being disturbed
Every now and then the sea, as it heaved and sank, laid bare so sea-weed, which parted on the top and hung down on either side, giving the stone the appearance of so-haired sea aze at the boat, and once this was so near that Mike shrank froainst the side
”Wasn't that too close?” said Vince quickly
”Nay,” said the old o on the sharp rock to starboard There's only just rooazing in at the gloomy portals of a water-floored cave, in and out of which birds were flying, a dexterous turn of the oar sent the boat quickly round, head to wind, the sail flapped over their heads, and Vince seized the boat-hook without being told, and, reaching over the side, hooked towards hih which a rope had been passed and knotted to prevent its return
This rope Mike seized, hauled upon it, drawing the boat along, till it was right over soed to the surface, proved to be a great beehive-shaped, cage-like basket, weighted with stones, and provided with a funnel-like entrance at the top
”Nothing!” cried Mike; and the lobster-pot was allowed to sink back into the deep water a the rocks as soon as it had been examined to see if it contained bait
Then there was another short run, and a fresh examination of one of these trap-like creels, with better success; for a good-sized lobster was found to be inside, and, after two or three attempts, Vince seized it across the back, and drew it out as it flicked its tail sharply, and vainly sought to take hold of its aggressor with its foro hooked the lobster towards him with the toe of his boot, clapped it between his knees, and cleverly tied its claith pieces of spun yarn before dropping the captive into a locker in the stern, half full of water, which was adh holes in the side