Part 11 (1/2)

”Yes, but it can't be,” said Vince ”Look down there to the left, how the tide's rushi+ng in Looks as if a boat couldn't live in it alike that, there ht through under the island?”

”No; it looks deep and still there at the other end of the rocks, and-- yes, you can see fro”

Vince had risen, taken hold of one of the jagged pieces of rock, stepped on to a point, and was gazing down to his left at the pent-in sea, which was rushi+ng through a narrow opening between tering rocks, foa over each other, as if forced out by soantic power, but evidently hidden froreat barrier stretched before the,” said Mike

”Clian to cliranite, and had just reached a position from whence he could stretch over and see the exit of the pent-in currents which glided round the little cove or bay, one strongly rese the water-filled crater of some extinct volcano, when his left foot slipped from the little projection upon which he stood, and, in spite of the frantic snatch hehie, and for thedown the steep slope and over the edge of the precipice

But the boy instinctively threw out his hands to clutch at anything to stop his doard progress, and his right ca the trouser desperately, and the nextat the full extent of his ar outward over the barrier at the sea, while Mike was also on his back, but head doard, with his knees bent over the strait ridge upon which they had so lately been standing

For quite a minute they lay motionless, too much unnerved by the shock to attempt to alter their positions; while Vince felt that if the cloth by which he held so desperately gave way, nothing could save hiers below

There was another danger, too, for which he waited with his heart beating painfully At anyhis coh his brain, ought he to leave go?

This idea stirred him to action, and he lided over the rock, try hoould to find one of the little shelf-like openings fore courses of quarried stone

Then, as he hung there breathing heavily, he found his voice:

”Mike!” he shouted; and the answer cae

”Hullo!”

”Can you help me?”

”No: can't move; if I do you'll pull me over”

There was a terrible silence for what seemed to be minutes, but they were ain

”Can you hold on?”

Silence, broken by a peculiar rustling, and then Mike said: ”I think so

I've gotwith my head down like this Look sharp! Climb up”

”Look sharp--cli his left hand, which had been holding on to a projection in the rock at his side, he reached up, and, trying desperately, he et hold of the doubled-over fold at the bottoers over it, and getting a second good hold

It does not seeood deal of his force out of hi

”Pray look sharp,” came from the other side

”Yes Hold on,” cried Vince, as a horrible sensation began creeping through hi his nerve and falling: ”I' to turn over”

”No, no--don't,” came faintly ”I can't hold on”