Part 17 (1/2)

”Oh, I'll go,” said Samson; ”but mind you, I warn you it won't bear.”

”You do as I tell you,” cried Fred, again; ”and don't tell my mother where we are.”

”I may tell the colonel, I suppose?” said Samson, with a laugh to himself.

”No, no, no!” cried Fred; but the words were not heard, for Samson had set off down the hill at a trot.

”I say, what a pair of stupids we are,” said Fred, after trying two or three times over to find out whether Samson was still there.

”Don't talk,” replied Scarlett. ”Let's listen for his coming back.”

”But he must be half an hour, at least; and we know we are all right now. I say, Scar, I've a good mind to go down lower, and see if there's a way to the sea.”

”No, you will not,” said Scarlett, rather gruffly. ”Let's sit down and think.”

”It's too dark to think,” cried Fred, petulantly. ”I wonder how this place came. Think it was made by the hill cracking, or by the sea was.h.i.+ng it out?”

”I don't know. But shall we come again, and bring a lanthorn?”

”Yes, and regularly examine the place. We will some day. I wonder whether we're the first people who ever came down into it? I mean,”

said Fred, ”the first people who were not sheep. Here, hi! Scar! what are you thinking about?”

”I was thinking what a hiding-place it would make for anybody who did not want to be found.”

”Do for smugglers. Wonder whether any smugglers ever knew of it?”

”No; if they had there would have been some way down to the mouth.”

”And perhaps there is, only it's too dark for us to see where it is.”

Then the conversation languished, and they sat on the rough shaley earth, trying to pierce the gloom, and listening with quite a start from time to time to the sharp whirr of the pigeons' wings as they darted in and out.

At last, just when they were beginning to think it a terribly long time, Samson's voice was heard.

”Here you are! I've brought my line.”

”And a big stone?”

”Yes, Master Fred; eight or nine pounder. But I warn you once more that line won't bear you boys.”

”You do as I tell you. Now tie the stone to the line.”

There was a few moments' pause, during which they seemed to see the red-faced gardener as he busied himself over his task, and then down came the words--

”All right.”

”Lower it down.”

”What?--the stone?”