Part 32 (2/2)
”nobody at home,” said Vince o first?”
”If you like,” said Mike; and, after securely hooking the grapnel in a crevice, Vince threw the rope outward from him into the cavern, where it touched the sand some twenty feet below
”There we are!” he said; ”that's easier than throwing it up”
”Yes, but look sharp down I want to have a good look”
”Afterthe rope, he lowered hi round the he of the cave
”Ever so er than ours, Mike,” he shouted, and then turned sharply round, for a voice said plainly:
”Ours, Mike”
”I say, what an echo!”
”Echo!” came back
”Well, I said so”
”Said so”
”Hurrah!” cried Mike, as he too reached the floor, and a soft ”Rah” came from the other side
Their hearts beat fast with excite round, and pretty well taking in at a glance that it was far larger and more commodious than the one they had just quitted, especially for the purpose of a store, having the hinder part raised, as it were, into a dais or platfores were stored; while behind these they were able now to see through the transparent gloo and roof e after ridge of rocks, there was only one some little distance beyond theample room for a boat to come round at either end and be beached upon the soft sand, which lay perfectly shtly rose and fell
There was a fine view of the rounded cove from here; and the boys felt that if they were to wade out they would be able to get beyond the archway sufficiently to look up the overhanging face of the cliff; but, with the recollection of the quicksands at the mouth of their own cave, neither of them felt disposed to venture, and they were about to turn back and exaht there was a loud rush and a heavy splash, and Mike seized his companion's arm just as a head rose out of the water, and for aonly faintly seen, froht
”Seal,” said Vince quietly ”Sho long it is since any one was here, for things like that to be about!”
He caught up a couple of handfuls of sand and flung it toward the creature, which dived directly, but rose again to watch thereatly excited
”Won't come ashore and attack us, will it?” said Mike
”No fear I daresay it would bite, though, if we had it in a corner, and it couldn't pass Look! one must have come ashore there”
He pointed to a smooth channel in the sand, where one of the curious ani back by another way, and so for a kind of half-moon
”Let it watch us: it don't es”
They walked up to the pile of kegs, and Vince took one down, to find that it was peculiar in shape and hooped ood
”Eht as can be”
”Try another,” said Mike; and Vince put the one he held down, and tried one after another--at least a dozen