Part 16 (1/2)

Had it not been for feeling very hungry, they , they found their fire coone out What o'clock it was they could not tell They were in total darkness, while the tehted a candle, and ate soet water fro, which was so ly put out their candle, and groped their way round the rock On seeing light streah the entrance, they knew that at all events it was no longer night

The sea was rising over the ledge at thewith foa the floor of the cavern in a seething h it had come, and had no reason to fear that it would rise farther

They now , and drank heartily

”We ought to be thankful that we are in so snug a place,” observed Bill; ”but I tell you, we must take care not to eat up all our food in a hurry, or we et more The wind appears to have driven the sea over on this shore, and I doubt whether we shall be able tothe beach even at loater”

Jack did not at all like the idea of starving, but he saw that it would be wise to follow Bill's advice

They had food enough to last them for three days, as Jeannette had put up a double allowance; but the gale er than that, and then what should they do?

”It's no use troubling ourselves too much about the matter till the time comes,” observed Bill; ”only we must be careful not to eat ether”

As they had found a fire very useful and pleasant, they went down as close as they could venture to the water, and e all the driftwood and chips they could find They agreed that they would do the saood stock of fuel They wanted also to secure soht serve as torches, so that they could exalers' store as they called it, which they had discovered

They carried their wood and placed it on the soft warm sand, where it would dry more rapidly, for in its present state it would not serve to kindle a fire They had, however, soed rightly that they ht place the damp wood on the top of their fire, when it would burn in time

Most of the day was employed in this manner Even after the tide went out they found a nu the sides of the cavern The seas, however, rolled so far up the beach that they were afraid of descending, or they rew dark they returned to their cahted the fire, and made themselves comfortable

It was difficult to keep to their resolution of eating only a very little food, and Bill had to stop Jack before he thought he had had half enough

”I don't want to stint you,” he said, ”but recollect you will be crying out when our stock co you had not eaten it”

As they had had so long a sleep, neither of them was inclined to turn in; and Bill proposed that they should exalers' store

They had several pieces of hich they thought would burn as the first had done, and each taking three, with a candle to be used in case of eency, they set out

They found their way easily enough; but Jack, as before, did not feel quite coures, which see about the sides of the cavern; so down upon him from the roof, and ht of a figure robed in white stealing along in front of theh

”Never host, and we'll ht us”

As they moved on more rapidly than before, they were able to reach the inner cavern before either of their torches was ht it wiser to keep both alight at a tio out, and they should be unable to light it again with a s of intense curiosity they approached the sreed, as they exaoodsvery dry (probably it was chosen on that account), they did not appear to be lish

There were many bales of linen and cloth One of the cases which they forced open contained cutlery, and another was full of pistols; and froht of several which they did not atteed that they also contained firearms

There were two sly secured; but by means of a sharp stone, which served as a chisel, and another as a haed to break one of them open