Part 15 (1/2)

she answered ”He does not, perhaps, enter into your feelings about getting back to England, because he thinks France the best country of the two, and sees no reason why you should not become Frenchhbourhood will soon, probably, be removed, you may then come back without fear, and resume the clothes you before wore, and live with us, and help my father and brother; then who knohat ht your own countrymen, and the war may some day colish, and then we shall all be very good friends again”

”Never! Jeannette; that will never happen,” exclaimed Bill ”You are very kind to us, and we are very fond of you, and would do anything to serve you, and show our gratitude, but don't say that again”

Jeannette laughed ”Dear me, how fiery you are!” she exclai here, and I ought to hurry home, in case the soldiers should pay us another visit and suspect sory, my dear Bill I did not wish to offend you; only, you knoe each think our own country the best”

Bill assured Jeannette that he was not angry, and again thanked her verythat he was sorry her father would not obtain the boat for them

”Well, well, you o back to your cave as fast as you can, or you will be wet to the skin”

”I a; ”but it's a trifle to which I am well accusto baskets Jeannette, drawing her cloak around her, hurried back to the village, while Bill made the best of his way to the cavern

He was now able, in spite of the wind, to get along where he had before found it difficult to pass In one or two places only did the waves rolling up wash round his feet, but the water was not of sufficient depth to carry hiained theout for hi very sharp set, they lost no ti some of the contents of the basket

As they looked out they saw that the wind had greatly increased A heavy north-westerly gale was blowing It rushed into the cavern filled with spray from off the now distant foah was a o as far back as we can,” observed Bill, ”and the sooner we pick out a safe berth the better I should like, too, to get my wet clothes off, for the wind makes me feel very cold”

Jack was of the saroped their way to the inner cave round the rock, where it turned, as before described, to the left Here they were completely sheltered from the wind, and had it not been for the loud roar of the waves beating on the shore, and the howling of the gale in the outer cavern, they would not have been aware that a stor outside

They had, it should have been said, collected a quantity of drift wood, which Jack had thoughtfully e to the spot where they were now seated As they could not possibly run any risk of being detected, they agreed to light a fire, which they had hitherto avoided doing

They soon had a cheerful one blazing up, and it made them feel much more comfortable Bill was able to dry his wet clothes, and by its light they could now take a better survey of their abode than they had hitherto done

The cavern was here not ht, but it was nearly thirty broad, and penetrated, so it seemed to them, far away into the interior of the cliff

”I vote we have a look and see where the cave leads to,” said Bill, taking up a long piece of fir-hich burnt like a torch

Jack provided hi theht They also took one of their candles and theirraked their fire together, so that it ht serve as a beacon to assist theround rose as they had before supposed when they explored it in the dark, but the roof continued of the saht above it

Suddenly Jack started

”What is that?” he exclaihost? Oh Bill!”

CHAPTER TEN

DISCOVERY OF THE SMUGGLERS' TREASURE