epth, and
all the time we were right: the hole has led us to the shore."

But Vince was not quite right, for, upon his drawing the lanthorn out--
and none too soon, an odour of singed worsted becoming perceptible--they
found that the sudden sharp slope of the granite flooring went down some
twenty feet, and upon lowering the light by means of the rope the
lanthorn came to rest in soft sand.

"It isn't very light down there," said Vince, whose feelings of
nervousness were being rapidly displaced by an intense desire to see
more; "but light does come in, and there's the waves running in and out
round here. You don't want to go back now, do you?"

"No," said Mike quickly. "Who's to go down first?"

"I will, for I found out what it was."

"All right," said Mike; "but we shall want the rope. How are we to
fasten it?"

"There's plenty," said Vince, "and we'll go back and tie it round that
last great stone in the hole."

This was done, Mike lighting him; and then, upon their returning, the
rope coil was thrown down.

"Here goes!" cried Vince. "Hold the light high up."

Mike raised it on high, and leaned forward as far as he could; while,
sitting down and grasping the rope, Vince let himself glide, and the
next moment his feet sank deep in soft sand.

"Come on!" he shouted back to where Mike was anxiously watching from
twenty feet or so above him. "It's easy as easy. Never mind the
lanthorn."

He looked round as he spoke, to see that he was in a large cavern,
floored with beautifully smooth, soft sand, and lit up by the same soft
grey dawn that had greeted him at the end of the passage, but how it
entered the place he could not make out, for no opening was visible, and
the rushing, roaring sound of the water came from the lofty roof.

Vince's was only a momentary glance, for Mike was coming slowly down the
smooth shoot, sliding on his back, but lowering himself foot by foot, as
he held on to the rope.

"There!" cried Vince, as his companion stood beside him, gazing at the
rugged walls and lofty roof of the great dry channel; "wasn't this worth
coming to see?"

"Why, it's grand," replied Mike, in a subdued voice. "I say, what a
place!"

"What a place? I should think it is. I say, Ladle, we've discovered
this, and it's all our own. You and I ought to come and stay here when
we like. I say, isn't it a size? Why, it must be thirty feet long."

He paced across the rugged hollow, tramping through the