em to make out what it might be.

"I know," said Vince at last: "it's water."

"Think so?" said Mike dubiously.

"Yes. I've been puzzling ever so long to make out how it was that water
could have run along here, and for there to be none now, but I see how
it is. This was once the channel of the stream, till it ate its way
down through the rock to a lower one, and that's it we can hear running
somewhere below."

"Perhaps," said Mike; but his words implied doubt, and, after once more
examining the candle in the lanthorn, he led on, but very cautiously and
slowly now, though the passage was easier, and the slope less broken by
step-like faults in the granite, over which the water must once have
flowed.

At the end of a dozen yards Mike stopped again, and Vince quite as
willingly, for the dull rushing sound continued, and they looked at each
other by the light of the lanthorn.

"How far down are we, do you think?" said Mike.

"I dunno. Must be a long way below the sea."

Mike nodded, and Vince continued:

"I thought it led down into the Scraw cove, but we must be lower than
that."

"Yes, ever so much; and it strikes me that we might go on down and down
for hours. Haven't we done enough for this time?"

"Well, yes," said Vince, in a hesitating tone; "only I should have liked
to find out something better than going on and on, just like in one of
the caverns on the shore stretched out a tremendous way."

"Yes, I should have liked to see something more; but this is a curious
place. Old Deane would like to come down here and see those round
stones in the holes."

"We'll bring him some day," said Vince. "Well, suppose we'd better go
back, for it seems to be all like this."

"Can't be all like this, because there's water rushing somewhere down
below."

"Well, let's go on till we come to the water, and then turn back."

"But if it's very dangerous?"

"We won't go into danger. You keep the lanthorn well up, so that you
can see where you go, and then you can stop."

"Suppose you lead now," said Mike: "my arm aches awfully with holding up
the light."

"All right: I'll go first, then."

"But I'm not afraid to!" cried Mike hastily.

"Well, I am, Ladle," said Vince frankly; "and I shall go very slowly and
carefully, I can tell you. Here, you carry the rope and hammer. Stop a
minute, though: how's the light?"

He opened the lanthorn door now, and was surprised to see how little the
candle was burned