nture, the lapping of the wavelets could be heard all round it,
without a boat, or even a balk of wood to break it. Then they tried
echo, whose clear answer hesitates where any soft material is; but the
shout rang only of hard rock and glassy water. To make assurance doubly
sure, they lit a blue-light, and sent it floating through the depths,
while they held their position with two boat-hooks and a fender. The
cavern was lit up with a very fine effect, but not a soul inside of it
to animate the scene. And to tell the truth, the bold invaders were
by no means grieved at this; for if there had been smugglers there, it
would have been hard to tackle them.

Hauling off safely, which was worse than running in, they pulled across
the narrow cove, and rounding the little headland, examined the Church
Cave and the Dovecote likewise, and with a like result. Then heartily
tired, and well content with having done all that man could do, they
set sail again in the dusk of the night, and forged their way against a
strong ebb-tide toward the softer waters of Bridlington, and the warmer
comfort of their humble homes.

CHAPTER XVII

DELICATE INQUIRIES

A genuine summer day pays a visit nearly once in the season to
Flamborough; and when it does come, it has a wonderful effect. Often the
sun shines brightly there, and often the air broods hot with thunder;
but the sun owes his brightness to sweep of the wind, which sweeps away
his warmth as well; while, on the other hand, the thunder-clouds, like
heavy smoke capping the headland, may oppress the air with heat, but are
not of sweet summer's beauty.

For once, however, the fine day came, and the natives made haste to
revile it. Before it was three hours old they had found a hundred and
fifty faults with it. Most of the men truly wanted a good sleep, after
being lively all the night upon the waves, and the heat and the yellow
light came in upon their eyes, and set the flies buzzing all about them.
And even the women, who had slept out their time, and talked quietly,
like the clock ticking, were vexed with the sun, which kept their
kettles from good boiling, and wrote upon their faces the years of their
life. But each made allowance for her neighbor's appearance, on the
strength of the troubles she had been through. For the matter of that,
the sun cared not the selvage of a shadow what was thought of him, but
went his bright way with a scattering of clouds and a tossing of vapors