of his voice as he saw her anchored safely for the moment, "I am
content to smoke a pipe here and wait. For God's sake be careful you
two!" he added, as the Commandant also gripped the bar, then a rung,
and began to lower himself.

Far below the Commandant could see a light glimmering, drawing faint
twinkles from the wet rock around him. Just beneath him he could hear
Vashti's hands rhythmically catching at the rungs--down, down.... Once
his feet slipped from the staves, and he hung for a moment by his
hand-grip only. Twice Vashti spoke up to him, warning him to press a
knee against the rock, and so make room for his toes to catch the
rungs.... At length they reached a point where the ladder hung clear of
the cliff; but here a hand from below caught it and held it steady.

"Nervous work, sir!" said Eli Tregarthen, as the Commandant, with a
gasp of relief, felt his feet touch solid rock.

"But where are we?" demanded the Commandant; for close at hand sounded
the boom of heavy waves.

"In Piper's Hole."

The Commandant stared aloft. Slowly the explanation dawned on him. The
adit, piercing its way from the cliff top, broke through the wall of
the cave, high up, close to the roof. He turned, and his eyes followed
Vashti, who had caught up Eli's lantern, and was picking her way across
the rocky floor. Presently she bent to a kneeling posture, as the rays
fell on what at first appeared to be a long bundle. He hurried after
her, but stopped short with a cry.

"Sir Caesar!"

"Even so, my friend. Alive, thanks to our friends here; and, but for a
shaking and a twisted ankle, sound as well as safe. Yes, and the ankle
is mending, thanks to Miss Cara's skill and a plenty of salt-water
bandages."

The Lord Proprietor's face was pale as he leaned on his elbow and
stared at the Commandant across the lantern. It was scratched, too, and
scarred; but it was the face of a sound man.

"But how in the world----?"

"Easily enough. I was leaning over the cliff above here, with my gun
beside me, when a piece of earth gave way under my head. I went down
the slope head foremost, as I guess, and my coat must have caught in
the gun's trigger-guard. At any rate, it went off, and by the mercy of
Heaven without wounding me; but either the noise of it stunned me or
the fall must have knocked me foolish, for tumbling among the bushes
that grow in the hollow above the cave's entrance, I had not the sense
to catch hold, but slid through them,