eir lines or catch their hooks;
while they knew from old experience that it was the sheltered home of
large shoals, which sought it as a sanctuary from the seals or large
fish which preyed upon them.

In addition, the place they stood upon was a dry, rocky platform, shut
off from the cave by a low ridge, against which they could lean their
backs, whilst another much lower ridge was just in front, as if on
purpose to hide them from the fish in the crystal water of the great
pool.

Partly behind them and away to their right was the entrance to the
seals' hole, from which came a hollow splashing from time to time, as
something moved; every sound making Mike turn his head quickly in that
direction, and bringing a smile to Vince's lips.

"Ah! it's all very well," said Mike sourly, "but everybody isn't so
brave as you are."

"Might as well have lit our fire before we came here," said Vince,
ignoring the remark.

"What's the good of lighting the fire till we know whether we shall get
any fish?" said Mike. "We didn't catch one last time, though you could
see hundreds."

"To boil the kettle and make some tea," replied Vince; and he rose to
get hold of the bait, pausing to look back over the ridge which shut him
off from the cave, and hesitating.

"I think I'll go back and light the fire," he said, as he fixed his eyes
on the dark spot which they made their fireplace, it looking almost
black from the bright spot they occupied, which was as far as they could
get out towards the open cove.

"No, no; sit down," said Mike impatiently. "We didn't catch any last
time because you would keep dancing about on the rocks here, and showing
the fish that you were come on purpose to hook them. We can get a good
fire in a few minutes. There's plenty of wood, and we're in no hurry."

"You mean you kept dancing about," retorted Vince. "Very well," he
added, seating himself, "it shan't be me, Ladle: I won't stir. But it's
the wrong time for them. If we were to come here just before daylight,
or to stop till it was dark, we should be hauling them out as fast as we
could throw in our--our"--_splash_--"lines."

For as Vince spoke he had resumed his seat, deftly placed a lug-worm on
his hook and thrown the lead into the water, where it sank rapidly,
drawing after it the line over the low ridge of rock.

"There," said Vince, as his companion followed his example, "I won't
move, and I won't make a sound."

"Don't," said Mike: "I d