Part 53 (1/2)
”Yes, it's ; rouse up I fancy it must be late”
”Looks toroused up to go on deck What are you doing?”
”Going to get a light”
This Aleck did after the custo The candle in the lanthorn was lit, and the lads, after cautiously testing the depth of the water, indulged in a good bathe, gaining confidence as they swaly harsh towel for where they had been thrown over pieces of rock
As they dressed they could see that it was getting lighter inside the arch, which gradually showedthe time that they partook of the ht had broadened, so that both beca the tide sink beneath the crown of the arch so as to give the are you going to wait for the s,” was the reply ”It is not fair to you But I should like to give hi here till the tide has got to its lowest, and as soon as it turns we'll start?”
”Very well, I agree,” said theto wait I was expecting it to go down so low that I should see the full daylight yesterday, but before I got the slightest peep it began to rise again”
”But it cahter than this?” said Aleck
”No; I don't think it was so light as this I believe it is just about turning now”
The sailor proved to be right; and as soon as Aleck felt quite sure he turned to his companion and proposed that they should start
”I don't knohat my uncle will say,” he said ”You'd better come home with me He will be astonished when he sees that I have found you”
”Did he know that I was lost?”
”Of course Your fellow officer ca we knehere you were Well, uncle will be very glad
Co I shall take the lanthorn with us to see our way up the zigzag I think I couldof the place, but it would be aard for you”
”Oh, yes; let's have all the light we can,” said the midshi+pman ”I'm quite ready Shall we start?”
”Yes, co the lanthorn well down, Aleck led the way along by the waterside till the rocks which had acted as stepping-stones were reached, and which were now quite bare
These were passed in safety, but not without two or three slips; and then after a walk back towards the twilight, somewhere about equal to the distance they had co the blocks that had fallen from the roof to where he easily found the lowest slope of the zigzag, which they prepared tothe nicks cut in the stone at the side
”It'sdown,” said Aleck
”Of course,” replied the midshi+plorious to have one's leg free, and to know that before long one will be up in the glorious light of day I say, are you counting how many of these slopes we have come up?”
”No,” said Aleck, ”I lost count; but I think we lers are no fools Who'd ever expect to find such a place as this? Itit or i it for years,” said Aleck; ”but they found the crack already made--it was natural”
”Think so?”
”Yes; the rock split just like a flash of lightning Mind how you come--the roof is lower down here Let's see, thisdown No, it can't be, for that was somewhere about the middle of one of the slopes, I think, and this is the end, just where it turns back and for and raised the lanthorn so as to examine the rock above and around him more attentively