ly agreed to drop the
subject.

Presently Big Swankie took out a flint and steel, and proceeded to
strike a light. It was some some time before the tinder would catch.
At each stroke of the steel a shower of brilliant sparks lit up his
countenance for an instant, and this momentary glance showed that its
expression was not prepossessing by any means.

Ruby drew Minnie farther into the recess which concealed them, and
awaited the result with some anxiety, for he felt that the amount of
knowledge with which he had become possessed thus unintentionally, small
though it was, was sufficient to justify the smugglers in regarding him
as a dangerous enemy.

He had scarcely drawn himself quite within the shadow of the recess,
when Swankie succeeded in kindling a torch, which filled the cavern with
a lurid light, and revealed its various forms, rendering it, if
possible, more mysterious and unearthly than ever.

"Here, Spink," cried Swankie, who was gradually getting into better
humour, "haud the light, and gie me the spade."

"Ye better put them behind the rock, far in," suggested Spink.

The other seemed to entertain this idea for a moment, for he raised the
torch above his head, and, advancing into the cave, carefully examined
the rocks at the inner end.

Step by step he drew near to the place where Ruby and Minnie were
concealed, muttering to himself, as he looked at each spot that might
possibly suit his purpose, "Na, na, the waves wad wash the kegs oot o'
that if it cam' on to blaw."

He made another step forward, and the light fell almost on the head of
Ruby, who felt Minnie's arm tremble. He clenched his hands with that
feeling of resolve that comes over a man when he has made up his mind to
fight.

Just then an exclamation of surprise escaped from his comrade.

"Losh! man, what have we here?" he cried, picking up a small object that
glittered in the light.

Minnie's heart sank, for she could see that the thing was a small brooch
which she was in the habit of wearing in her neckerchief, and which must
have been detached when Ruby carried her into the cave.

She felt assured that this would lead to their discovery; but it had
quite the opposite effect, for it caused Swankie to turn round and
examine the trinket with much curiosity.

A long discussion as to how it could have come there immediately ensued
between the smugglers, in the midst of which a wavelet washed against
Swankie's feet, reminding him th