eaned his arm against the side and rested his head
upon it.

"Oh, come, that won't do, Sam," cried Gwyn; "we must help one another."

"Yes, sir, of course; but wouldn't one of you two young gents like to
take the lead? You, Mr Joe Jollivet--you haven't had a turn, and
you've got two lights."

"What's the use of me trying to lead?" said Joe, bitterly, "I feel as
helpless as you do--just as if I could sit down and cry like a great
girl."

"Needn't do that, Jolly," said Gwyn, bitterly; "there's salt water
enough here. I'm sure it's three inches deeper than it was. Hark!"

They stood fast, listening to the strange murmuring noise that came
whispering along.

"It's the water running," said Joe, in awestricken tones.

"Yes, it's the water dripping, and running along by the walls. Why,
there must be hundreds of streams."

"And you're standing talking like that," cried Joe, angrily. "We know
all about the streams. Do something."

Gwyn stood frowning for a few moments.

"You lead on now," he said, "and try again. I'll come close behind
you."

"But it gets deeper this way."

"Perhaps only for a short distance, and then it may rise. Go on."

Joe started at once, for he felt, as if he must obey, but before they
had gone a hundred yards the water had risen to Gwyn's waist.

"Back again," he said; "it gets deeper and deeper."

"Then it's all over with us, gen'lemen," said Hardock. "Tom Dinass has
got his revenge against us, and it's time to begin saying our prayers."

"Time to begin saying our prayers!" cried Gwyn, angrily. "I've been
saying mine ever since we knew the worst. It's time we began to work,
and try our best to save our lives. Now, Joe, on again the other way,
and take the first turning off to the left."

Joe obeyed, and they struggled back amidst the whispering and gurgling
sounds which came from out of the darkness, before and behind; while
now, to fully prove what was wrong, they noticed the peculiar odour of
the sea-water when impregnated with seaweed in a state of decay, and
directly after Gwyn had called attention to the fact Joe uttered a cry.

"What is it?" said Gwyn anxiously. "Don't drown the lights."

"Something--an eel, I think--clinging round my leg."

"Eel wouldn't cling round your leg; he'd hold on by his teeth. See what
it is."

"Long strands of bladder-wrack," said Joe, after cautiously raising one
leg from the water.

"No mistake about the sea bursting in," said