Part 15 (2/2)

'What an awful lark,' said Harry, who had clas; 'it will be fine fun tracking the thief'

Allan began to whistle

'We haven't found much to track yet,' he said; 'neither have the police, who have been at it nearly three weeks The less you talk about it the better, except a,' said Marjorie, springing up, as Harry looked soh; let's run down the side of the hill, and then we shan't take long to get to the cliffs'

'All right,' said Harry briskly, 'let's go to the Slers' Caves; oh, I say, what a jolly island this is!'

All started to run down the steep descent, bounding fro as they neared the bottoround at about the same time; then they turned to look at Harry and Gerald, who arrived next, looking somewhat shaken, and Hamish, who had stopped to help Tricksy

'Not far now to the caves,' said Marjorie encouragingly 'Do you see that headland, stretching far out into the sea? They are on the side farthest away from us Tired, Tricksy?'

'Not at all,' protested the child, stepping alone and trying to hide a little roll in her gait, although her slanced at her approvingly as Tricksy toiled along beside Ha on to big hand

'Oh, what a height froround,' said Gerald in an awed tone of voice, as thedown fro lines of breakers falling upon the strip of sand at the foot 'What a disturbance the birds are e noises there are'

'It's the waves echoing a the rocks,' said Marjorie 'You must coet flooded and the noise is just like thunder'

'If you'll co,' said Allan, 'there's a break in the cliffs where we can get down pretty easily The tide is out, so we have lots of time'

'Can we really climb down there,' said Harry, as they cah steps and ledges of rock standing out in the riven walls Not a bird was to be seen in the glooulls were flying about and cla,' said Allan on the first step 'Are you a good climber, Harry?'

'Pretty fair,' replied Harry, with a rather wild look in his eyes

Gerald said nothing, but swung himself doith a serious countenance

'If any one wants help, just sing out,' cried Allan, descending by the rocky steps 'Don't look down, and you'll be all right'

'Take raciously to Gerald, who hesitated at a perilous-looking gap

Gerald flushed pink, and pretended not to have heard the offer of assistance; and the two strangers braced themselves to their unaccustomed feat

The way led round the chas the face of the cliff, where the inquisitive eyes and red bills of the puffins peered out of the crevices, and whole rows of auks and kittiwakes were thrown into violent agitation by the sight of the intruders; and so back to the dark interior of the chasm The place was full of echoes; the hollow booed rocks, the hoarse cries of the gulls and the shrill screa in an uproar whichthe descent, it cost the new-co overcoe, and swung hiie and Marjorie followed; Tricksy came last, and the Grahams dropped doith an air of relief

'Well done for you,' said Allan approvingly; 'it's your first climb of the kind, and you haven't shown an atom of funk'

Gerald's cheeks becareater self-consciousness

'Only Ha up at the cliff; 'how cautiously the old fellow is coh he is so slow'

'”Sleepy Ha a nickname which he had heard Allan use Low as the words were spoken, Marjorie heard them, and turned upon the boy like a flash