s, opening apparently on
a precipitous part of the shore. The floor of the passage sloped
gradually down until it met the short strip of sand upon which the mimic
waves were lazily beating; and a yard or two from the water's edge the
sand was marked with a well-defined line of stranded weed and drift-
wood, which indicated the inner limit of the wash of the sea. A single
glance was sufficient to show that the auriferous rock had been left
behind; that which now surrounded them being a coarse kind of granite.
Pursuing their way the pair soon stood upon the strip of beach. Then
came the question, How were they to get out of the cavern, now that they
had reached its mouth? The sides rose perpendicularly, and the top
arched over in such a manner that escape seemed impossible. Lance made
several attempts on each side of the entrance to work his way out, but
the face of the rock was worn so smooth with the constant wash of the
water that the nearer he approached the entrance the more difficult did
he find it to proceed, and at last, failing to find any further foot-
hold, he was compelled to abandon his efforts and return to Blanche, who
meanwhile had been resting her tired limbs on the soft grey sand.

"Well, Blanche," he said, "I thought our troubles were over when I first
caught sight of that opening, but it appears they are not. There seems
to be only one possible mode of escape from this place and that is by
swimming. Now, I can manage the matter easily enough if you will only
trust me; the distance is the merest trifle, the water is smooth, and if
you think you have nerve enough to rest your hands on my shoulders and
to refrain from struggling when we get into deep water, I can support
your weight perfectly well, I know, and carry you safely round to the
beach, which I have no doubt we shall find at a short distance on one
side or the other of the opening. It will involve a ducking, certainly,
but we cannot help that; and if we walk briskly afterwards we shall take
no harm."

Blanche laughed--she could afford to do that now. "If that is our only
difficulty, it is but a trifling one," she said. "I can trust you
implicitly, Lance; and, what is perhaps almost as important, I can also
trust myself. I can swim a little; and if I should tire I shall not be
frightened, having you to help me."

"Very well," was the reply; "that is better than I dared hope. Would
you like to rest a little longer, or shall we make t