ousers like anything.
Oh! you can't think what a sharp draught there is."

"Never mind the draught."

"No use to," said Vince.

"Oh, I say, do have a good look down, and then come up again. Now,
then: does the cliff slope from where you are?"

"Yes, right down to the water."

"Steeply?"

"Yes."

"Could we climb down?"

"Yes, if we were flies: Mike, old chap, it's just awful!"

"What!" cried Mike breathlessly.

"Yes: that's it--awful," said Vince quietly, as he rested his hands on
the block he bestrode, and looked over to his left. "It slopes down;
but the wrong way. It goes right in as far as I can see, and--Yes, it
does just the same on the other side. If I were to go down now I should
plump right into black water, that's boiling up and racing along like it
does where there's a rocky bottom, I do wish you were here to see."

"I don't," whispered Mike. "There--that'll do," he continued aloud.
"Come up."

"Wait a bit. I must see a little more, now I am here. I say, it's
awful!--it's grand! The rocks, as far as I can see, are as smooth as
can be, and all sorts of colours, just as if they were often breaking
away. Some are dark and some are browny and lavender, and there's one
great patch, all glittering grey granite, looking as new as new."

"Yes, it must be very beautiful; but come back."

"Don't you be in such a hurry," said Vince. "You won't catch me sitting
here again. I'll let you down if you like, but once is quite enough for
me. I want to have a good look, though, so as to tell you all about it
before I do come, for, on second thoughts, I shan't lower you down
here--it's too horrid. I say: wherever I can see there are thousands of
birds, but there are not many places where they can sit. I can see one
raven, too--there are two of them sailing about just under me, with
their backs shining in the sun. Oh, Mike: look at the cormorants! I
never knew there were so many about the island. Big gulls, and puffins,
and terns, and--I say, what a cloud of pigeons flying right out from
under me: Why, there must be a cavern going right in. Hold tight! I
want to lean out more to try and see."

"No!" shrieked out Mike. "Don't--don't! It's a hundred times worse
kneeling here and seeing you than doing it oneself."

"But I only want to see if there is a cave."

"If the pigeons keep flying out there must be."

"Well, there they go, and here are some more coming, and they've flown
right in so