Part 33 (2/2)

”But I don't believe you're right, Cinder These things can't have been put here in our time, or weis”

”Yes, it's sh, but the Scraw has always been as if it were far away, and people could come here and do what they liked”

”But they wouldn't be so stupid as to cos for nobody,” said Mike ”Is there anybody here ould want theht s here from France and Holland and others coet up into the crack I don't feel safe It has regularly spoiled our place, though, for whoever comes here must know of the other cave”

”Well,” said Mike, as they stood by the rope, and he gazed longingly back at the rich store he was about to leave behind, ”I'll coht”

”You'll soon see that I as will be taken away--perhaps by the tiain”

”If it's as you say we shan't be able to coain,” replied Mike rather dolefully; and then, in obedience to an in from his companion, he took hold of the rope and cli followed by Vince directly after

Then the rope was drawn up and coiled, and both took a long and envious look at the cargo that had been landed there at so the fissure to their own place

”I don't believe any one would do as we've done, and co there,”

said Mike, as soon as they were safely back ”Perhaps, if you're right about that stuff being new, these s people don't, after all, know of this cave”

”Theyin their boat, and would have been sure to land and come in”

”Land where?” said Mike scornfully ”No boat could land here, and nobody could wade in, on account of the quicksands But I's are awfully old, and they'll be ours after all”

”Very well: we shall see,” said Vince ”But I don't feel disposed to stop here now Let's get back hoet back ho up a fresh bit of candle, they started for the inner cave, ascended the slope, and e to the spot where they put out and hid their lanthorn

This done, with the caution taught by the desire to keep their hiding-place secret, Vince stepped softly on to the opening, and was about to pass along to the end, but he paused to peer out through the briars to see if all was right, and the next moment he stood there as if turned to stone Mike crept up to hi sure fro

The answer to his touch was the extension of Vince's hand, and he pointed upward and toward the side of the deep rift

Mike turned his head softly, and gazed in the indicated direction For so for the briars and ferns; but at last he bent a trifle more forward, and his fists clenched, for there, upon one of the stones beside the entrance to their cave, with his hand shading his eyes, and staring upward apparently at the ridge, was Carnach junior

”Spying after us,” said Mike to himself; ”and he does not know that we are close to his feet”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

SOME DOUBTS ABOUT THE DISCOVERY

Certainly Lobster did not kno near the two boys were, and he soon proved it by co to reconnoitre in another direction

Vince stared at Mike, and their eyes si us, and seen us come in this direction”

It was evident that he had soon lost the clue in following the from circumstances, he must have tracked them close to where they were