te some breakfast. To wash it
down they had to get water from the spring, which was so much nearer the
entrance of the cavern. They accordingly put out their candle, and
groped their way round the rock. On seeing light streaming through the
entrance, they knew that at all events it was no longer night.

The sea was rising over the ledge at the mouth, tossing and tumbling
with foam-topped billows, and rolling up along the floor of the cavern
in a seething mass of froth.

They saw how high it had come, and had no reason to fear that it would
rise farther.

They now made their way to the spring, and drank heartily.

"We ought to be thankful that we are in so snug a place," observed Bill;
"but I tell you, we must take care not to eat up all our food in a
hurry, or we may find it a hard matter to get more. The wind appears to
have driven the sea over on this shore, and I doubt whether we shall be
able to make our way along the beach even at low water."

Jack did not at all like the idea of starving, but he saw that it would
be wise to follow Bill's advice.

They had food enough to last them for three days, as Jeannette had put
up a double allowance; but the gale might blow much longer than that,
and then what should they do?

"It's no use troubling ourselves too much about the matter till the time
comes," observed Bill; "only we must be careful not to eat more than is
necessary to keep body and soul together."

As they had found a fire very useful and pleasant, they went down as
close as they could venture to the water, and employed themselves in
collecting all the driftwood and chips they could find. They agreed
that they would do the same every day, so as to have a good stock of
fuel. They wanted also to secure some pieces which might serve as
torches, so that they could examine the smugglers' store as they called
it, which they had discovered.

They carried their wood and placed it on the soft warm sand, where it
would dry more rapidly, for in its present state it would not serve to
kindle a fire. They had, however, some dry pieces which would answer
that purpose, and they judged rightly that they might place the damp
wood on the top of their fire, when it would burn in time.

Most of the day was employed in this manner. Even after the tide went
out they found a number of pieces washed up along the sides of the
cavern. The seas, however, rolled so far up the beach that they were
afraid of descending,