Part 23 (2/2)
Everywhere the place was carpeted with soft sand, through which stood up s tables, chairs and couches of the hardest andevery cranny and crevice inward, fully expecting to find so into another or a series of caverns; but they found nothingthe place, for the great attraction was the azed out at the glittering cove and the barrier of rock, dotted with sea-birds, which hid the open sea beyond
Making their way, then, to the , they tucked up and began to wade, so as to get outside; but the huge buttresses which supported the rugged arch co out as they did to where the sea swirled along with tremendous force, and looked so deep and forrasped in a moment what the consequences of a slip would be,--no swirand--it's splendid!” cried Vince at last, after they had been paddling about for soes of rock which barred the entrance; ”but it's precious disappointing”
”Yes,” said Mike; ”for we can't see much now, shut-in like this”
It was quite true; for when they had stepped froo, they were still in the mouth of the cave, which projected far out over them like a porch, and completely hid the cove on either side and the precipice extending upward to the ridge
”I want to get round there to the left,” said Vince, after gazing thoughtfully along the foot of one large buttress ”It looks shallow there, for the water's pale green I can't see from here, but I don't believe it's up to one's knees”
”We'll try,” said Mike, springing on to the rock, flush with the water, upon which Vince stood, with none too !”
”Ohto pet and co there,” said Vince, ”and then keep close to the wall”
”But you'll et in the current It would take you away directly”
”Just as if it was likely I should risk it, with my clothes on!” said Vince scornfully ”Do you suppose I want a soaking? I think, you know, that if I get along there I shall be able to hold on and look up at this part of the cliffs 'Tis a pity there isn't a narrow shore, so that you could walk right round”
”Well, take care,” said Mike ”Mind, I'hed, and, picking his way, he stepped from stone to stone, till he was only a short distance from the massive wall of the buttress, and not far from where the sun shone upon the water
”Why, it's as shallow as shallow!” he cried ”I thought it was, it looked so pale and green I don't believe it's a foot deep, and it's all sand, just like a garden walk; you can wade right out here, Mike, and round by the corner, and I dare say all round the cove like this”
”Oh, do mind!” cried Mike
”Of course I'll mind Don't suppose I want to drown myself, do you?
What are you afraid of?”
”I' of old Joe's nonsense about the place being full of water bogies and things, when all the tierous rocks, and the sharp eddies and currents Why, I haven't even seen a fish!+”
”Well, I have,” said Mike ”I can see thedown here in the still black water, so thick that they almost touch one another”
”You can? Well, I'll cooes for a wade”
Vince gave the bottoh as possible above his knees, and leaning forward from where he stood upon a detached block of stone, he rested his hands upon the side of the great buttress, and lowered one foot into the water over ankle, calf, and knee; and then he uttered a cry, and nearly went headlong, butthe rock with all his reat stone
CHAPTER TWELVE
LOST IN THE DARKNESS