Part 8 (1/2)

”No, no, it was not a gull,” cried Joe.

”I did not say it weer,” replied Hardock. ”You can think what you like, but I only says, 'Wheer is he?'”

”He must be somewhere here,” cried Joe; and he climbed about in all directions for some time, and only gave up when he felt how impossible it was that his comrade could be anywhere near.

”Theer, come on down, my lad,” said Hardock at last.

”It's impossible for anyone to be here. There aren't a hole big enough to hide a rabbit, let alone a boy.”

They descended slowly toward the lower part of the slope, near the cliff edge. Here Joe stopped short, for faintly, but perfectly distinct, came the words, ”Joe, ahoy!” and certainly from behind him.

”There, I knew he was up there!” cried the lad, excitedly; ”come back.

I was sure of it.”

He scrambled back as fast as he could, and Hardock followed him, frowning, and stood looking on, while his companion searched once more in every possible direction without avail.

”Ahoy, Gwyn. Y-doll!” he shouted through his hands. ”Where are you?”

There was no reply, and after more searching and shouting, and with the man's superst.i.tious notions beginning to affect him, Joe stopped and gazed blankly in his face.

”Well, d'yer begin to believe me now, my lad?” whispered Hardock.

”I can't help--” began the lad; and then he burst out with an emphatic.

”No, it's all nonsense! Gwyn must be here. Ahoy, Ydoll! Where are you?”

His voice died away, and in obedience to an order from the man, Joe began to descend the rugged slope again towards the green strip, which ran along near the cliff edge.

”It's of no use fighting again' it, my lad,” said Hardock, solemnly; ”they're a-mocking of you, and you might go on hunting all day long and couldn't find nought. Let's go; we aren't safe here.”

”I won't go,” cried the boy, ”and I won't believe what you think is possible. Gwyn's somewhere about here. Now, think. Where is there that we haven't searched?”

”Nowheres,” whispered Hardock, and in spite of the bright suns.h.i.+ne around them he kept on nervously glancing here and there.

”Why, if you go on like that in the middle of the day, Sam,” cried the boy, angrily, ”what would you do if it was dark?”

”Dark! You don't know a man in Ydoll Cove as would come up here after dark, my lad. It would be more than his life was worth, he'd tell you.

Why, there's not only them in the old mine, but the cliffs swarm with them things as goes raging about whenever there's a storm. I never used to believe in them, but I do now.”

”And I don't,” said Joe, ”and you won't frighten me. It's poor old Gwyn we heard shouting, and there must be an opening somewhere down into the mine.”

”Wheer is it, then?” whispered the man. ”You've been all over here times enough, and so have I, but I never found no hole 'cept the one big one down.”

”No, I never saw one, but there must be. There!” For a faint hail came again from the wall of rock behind them.

”Gwyn, ahoy!” cried Joe as loudly as he could.

”Ahoy!” came back steadily.

”Why, it's an echo,” cried Joe, excitedly. ”Ahoy! Ahoy!”