s, while we
respected his silence.

It was some time before he could speak, and when he did, it was in a
dull half-stupefied way, to explain what was simple enough, namely, that
when that last big wave came, it struck him violently and buried him
deep, the blow, and the natural effort to escape from the water, making
him shrink backwards into the hole, a task he achieved without much
difficulty; while, when, as the wave retired, he made another effort to
pass out, he involuntarily tried where the rocks were a little farther
apart, or placed his body in a different position, for he glided out
over the slimy rock with ease.

His explanations were, however, like our questions, confused; and we had
only one thought now, which was to get home and obtain dry clothes, so
we parted as we reached the nearest combe, Bigley going one way
bare-footed, and we the other, Bob Chowne afterwards going home in a
suit of mine.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

WE MAKE ANOTHER SLIP.

I'm afraid that we thought very little about Bigley's escape from a
horrible death, for by nine o'clock the next morning he was over at the
Bay, and while we were talking outside, Bob Chowne came trotting up,
holding on to the mane of his father's pony, for the doctor had ridden
over to see my father.

Half an hour later we were down on the beach to look for our baskets and
nets which had been covered by the tide, and which we were too much
exhausted to hunt for after our escape.

For a long time we had no success, for, until the tide ran lower, we
were not quite sure of the spot; but we hung about hour after hour till
the cluster of rocks were uncovered, and as soon as the water was low
enough we were down at the place, and, but for the labour necessary to
bale out the lower pool, we should, I am sure, have crawled in again to
try how it was Bigley was held.

It did not take much examination to show that, however, for it was plain
enough now to see how one part of the opening was a good deal narrower
than the other; and here it was that Bigley had become fast, never once
striving in his horror to get back, but always forward like an animal in
a trap.

As I stood there looking, the whole scene appeared to come back again,
and I shuddered as I seemed to see my school-fellow's agonised face
gazing appealingly in ours, and for the moment the bright sunny day
looked overcast.

"Come away," I said nervously; "let's look for the nets."

"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Bob