e faster
than they could, but that he could keep at the same speed for a longer
time.

"This beats coursing," cried Peter Patch. "The creature will give us as
good a chase as a hare. If we had but some dogs it would be fine fun.
We must have run a couple of miles already."

"We may have to run a couple more before we catch him," said Willy, "and
it won't do to give it up."

They were approaching the shore, or, rather, the head of a gulf which
ran up from it. Should the seal reach the water he would be lost. The
party doubled their speed, when the animal, then about fifty yards
ahead, suddenly disappeared. Willy and Peter could with difficulty
stop, and save themselves from falling into a deep narrow gully with
perpendicular sides which appeared before them. They leaned over the
edge. It was thirty or forty feet deep, a stream of water running at
the bottom. Had they gone over, they would probably have broken their
necks.

"He will escape by the end of the gully," cried Willy. "Sharp and Wall,
run round to the beach and try and stop him."

The men did as they were directed; while Willy and Peter scrambled down
with the assistance of some bushes which grew in the sides to the bottom
of the gully. On making their way towards the sea, they found that the
gully was arched over, and they now entered a spacious cavern, down the
centre of which the stream made its way. It was separated into two
parts by the stream; each part was about fifty feet long and fully
twenty wide, while the roof appeared to be nearly thirty feet above
their heads. A flood of light came through a round hole in the centre
of the roof, and enabled them to survey the cavern. The walls and
ground were perfectly dry, and they agreed that it would not be a bad
place to live in, provided the wind did not set through it. As they
were proceeding on, they heard the captain's voice shouting to them, he
wondering where they had got to. Looking up, they caught sight of his
head appearing through the hole.

"Here we are, all right," said Willy.

"Why, boys, how could you get down there?"

Willy told him.

"What has become of the seal?" asked the captain.

"I suppose he is somewhere not far off, if he hasn't reached the sea,"
answered Peter. "Yes, sure enough, and there he comes."

The seal at that moment appeared, rushing back, having encountered the
men at the outlet.

"Run, Dicey, run," cried Peter, "or he'll be upon us."

The mids