mer brought its crowd of
tourists, there was generally quite a little fleet of skiffs to be seen
here, but now, with the exception of a solitary boat, the famous cavern
was deserted. To avoid passing too near to even this one craft Mr.
Carson steered away from the shore, but turned his head in
consternation, for loud and unmistakable cries of "help" were ringing
over the water, and the occupants, frantically waving handkerchiefs,
were evidently doing their utmost to attract his attention. Common
humanity demanded that he must at least go and see what was the matter,
so he reluctantly altered his course.

In a boat close to the entrance of the grotto were several young people,
and Lorna instantly recognized Angus, Stewart, Jess, Michael, and
Peachy. They appeared in much anxiety, and directly they were within
hailing distance they called out their news:

"Mr. Beverley and Vincent and Irene have gone inside the grotto, and
they don't seem able to get out again. We can hear them shouting for
help."

The party, in their British imprudence, had not brought a boatman, and
they were uncertain what to do. Their own barque was too large to go
through the narrow opening into the cavern, and they looked hopefully at
Mr. Carson's little skiff.

"We don't know what's happened," gulped Jess.

"They went in to explore the Roman passage."

"Just by themselves."

"They've been gone such a long time," volunteered the others.

"Listen," said Peachy.

For from out the low entrance of the grotto floated a faint far-off
echoing ghost of a shout.

Lorna glanced imploringly at her father. He did not hesitate for a
moment. The man who had injured him was inside the cavern, perhaps in
deadly danger, and he was going to risk his own life and his daughter's
to save him. And risk there undoubtedly was. A breeze had arisen and
agitated the surface of the water, so that the ingress was smaller than
ever and more difficult to compass. When waves lashed the tideless
Mediterranean even the Capri fishermen shunned entering the grotto, for
they knew its perils only too well. Telling Lorna to lie flat on her
back Mr. Carson took the same position, and with infinite difficulty
managed to maneuver the skiff into the rocky entrance. There was barely
room, for each wave bumped it against the roof, but by clinging to the
chain he worked his way along and shot through into the lake within. On
the right of the cavern three figures, holding a light, s