x; and the next minute he went to the door,
where Kenneth was performing some kind of festive dance to the
accompaniment of a liberal drumming with his doubled fists upon the
panels.

"Ha! ha!" laughed the lad boisterously. "You do look rum like that.
Slip on your outside, and come along."

"But--the bath-room? I--"

"Bath-room! What bath-room?"

"You said you would show me."

"Get out! I never said anything about a bath-room. I said a bath--a
swim--a dip in the sea. Beats all the bath-rooms that were ever born."

"Oh!" ejaculated Max, who seemed struck almost dumb.

"Well, look sharp. Scood's waiting. He called me an hour ago, and I
dropped asleep again."

"Scood--waiting?"

"Yes; he's a splendid swimmer. We'll soon teach you."

"But--"

"You're not afraid, are you?"

"Oh no--not at all. But I--"

"Here, jump into your togs, old man, and haul your shrouds taut. It's
glorious! You're sure to like it after the first jump in. It's just
what you want."

Max felt as if it was just what he did not want; but strong wills rule
weak, and he had a horror of being thought afraid, so that the result
was, he slipped on his clothes hastily, and followed his companion
down-stairs, and out on to the rock terrace, where a soft western breeze
came off the sea, which glittered in the morning sunshine.

He looked round for the threatening-looking black rocks which had seemed
so weird and strange the night before, and his eyes sought the uncouth
monsters with the tangled hair which seemed to rise out of the foaming
waters. But, in place of these, there was the glorious sunshine,
brightening the grey granite, and making the yellowish-brown seaweed
shine like gold as it swayed here and there in the crystal-pure water.

"Why, you look ten pounds better than you did yesterday!" cried Kenneth;
and then, raising his voice, "Scood, ho! Scood, hoy!" he shouted.

"Ahoy--ay!" came from somewhere below.

"It's all right! He has gone down," cried Kenneth. "Come along."

"Where are you going?" said Max hesitatingly.

"Going? Down to our bathing-place; and, look here, as you are not used
to it, don't try to go out, for the tide runs pretty strong along here.
Scood and I can manage, because we know the bearings, and where the
eddies are, so as to get back. Here we are."

He had led his companion to the very edge of the rock, where it
descended perpendicularly to the sea, and apparently there was no
farther p