dangerous,
for one false move would have sent her headlong to a frightful
death. But, holding on with one hand, she coolly took a piece of
oatcake from her pocket, and munched it. Then with a dexterous
movement she changed her position, got safely round the point, and
went onward.

"Why, Thora, were you not feared for yoursel?" I asked, when I got
near her again.

"If I'd been feared, Halcro, I wouldna be here now," she quietly
replied.

"I daresay that; but what made ye think of eatin' the bannock when
ye were in such danger?"

And, said she, "Weel, I just thought I was needing it."

But with all Thora's daring I was too sensible of the dangers of
the Gaulton Craigs to allow her to make the descent of an
unfamiliar precipice without climbing ropes, and when we had
determined to explore the cave, I ran home for my lines and an old
piece of tar rope to use as a torch in case we should require a
light.

Thora was anxious about my sheep possibly straying in my absence,
but I had a certain confidence in my flock, and assured her that as
I had never known them to stray, there was little danger of them
doing so now, especially as I had no dog to drive them over the
banks. We accordingly left the sheep grazing or sleeping
contentedly on the open braes, and proceeded on our adventure.

One end of the rope was firmly secured round a jut of rock, so that
the other extremity, when it was thrown over the brink, would fall
as near as possible to the mouth of the cavern. I went down some
distance to see that all was right and easy, and then we made the
descent together.

Neither of us made much use of the rope, but it was there for Thora
to take hold of if she should find that she could not get secure
hold on the jags of rock for her feet and hands; and I kept close
to her to aid her if need were. A stranger in Orkney might have
marvelled to see us, a lad and lass, climbing with such ease about
the face of a precipice of nearly two hundred feet in height above
the turbulent sea; but the thing was simple enough to our practised
hands and feet, and the regular layers and shelves of the old red
sandstone afforded for the most part secure resting places.

As we got further down, the disturbed sea birds fluttered and
screamed around our heads, the boldest even offering to peck at our
hands, but fearing to do so for all the clatter they made about it.

Once a great gray brent goose, with black head and staring eyes,
approa