mysterious whisper, as if afraid of being
overheard.

"I dunno about calling for help, my lad; but it was him."

"But where--where?" cried Joe, wildly.

"Out yonder. We couldn't see 'em, but they must ha' come sweeping out
of the pit there, and gone right off with him, like a flock of birds,
right away out to sea."

"Oh, you fool!" cried Joe. "It's horrible to listen to you great big
fishermen and miners with your old women's tales. If it's Gwyn calling,
he must be somewhere near, I know. There's another shaft somewhere, and
he's calling up that. Come and see."

"There aren't no other shaft, my lad," said the man, mysteriously.
"It's what I say. You'll know better some day, and begin to believe
when you've seen and heard as much as me. There's things and critters
about these cliffs sometimes of a night, and in a storm, as makes your
hair stand on end to hear 'em calling to one another. Why, I've knowed
the times when--"

"There it is again," cried Joe, excitedly. "Ahoy!" he yelled. "Where
are you?"

There was no answer, and the boy stood staring about him with every
sense strained, listening intently; but no further sound was heard, and
the man laid his hand upon the boy's arm.

"Come away, lad," he whispered, "afore ill comes to us. Didn't you
hear?"

"I heard the cry."

"Nay, I meant that there whispering noise as seemed to come up out o'
the pit. Let's go while we're safe."

"Nonsense! What is there to be afraid of?" cried Joe, impatiently.
"Listen!"

"I don't know what there is to be afraid of, my lad; but there's
something unked about, and the gashly thing's given me the creeps. Come
away."

"Ah, there! Why, it's towards the cliffs. A cry!" Joe shouted, for,
very softly, but perfectly distinct, there was a peculiar distant
wailing cry. "It's all right, Sam. He's alive somewhere, and he's
calling to us for help."

CHAPTER FIVE.

FISHING FOR A BOY.

Sam Hardock looked at the boy with a mingling of horror and pity on his
countenance.

"What yer talking about?" he cried. "Can't yer understand as it means
trouble? Someone's deloodering of yer away so as you may be drownded,
too."

But Joe Jollivet hardly heard him in his excitement. He was convinced
that he had heard Gwyn calling for aid, and he dashed off in search of
his comrade.

He felt that it was useless, but he stepped back to the mouth of the
ancient mine, and shouted down it once, but without response, and