it could easily be reached, there was a
depression which looked as if two huge blocks of stone had fallen
together, one leaning against the other, and as, after a great deal of
persuasion, Billy Widgeon climbed up to it with his companion, they
found this really to be the case, save that instead of its being two
blocks of stone it was two beds of strata lying together, in such a
position that they formed a cavern some ten-feet high and as many wide,
and with a peculiarly ribbed and cracked floor.

It was rapidly growing too dark to see of what this floor was composed,
the gloom being quite deep as soon as they were inside. Neither could
they explore the interior, though it seemed to form a passage going in
for some distance; but a careful searching of the floor and the
neighbourhood of the entrance failed to show them the slightest trace of
animal occupation.

"But it's very risky work, Mr Mark, sir, coming and settling down in a
rat's hole of a place like this."

"My dear Billy, if you can show me a better place, one where we shall be
in shelter from the rain and the heavy dew, I shall be glad to go to it.
I don't like sleeping on stone floors."

"Well, for the matter o' that, I daresay I can get enough o' them big
leaves, nice dry uns, to make you a bed, Mr Mark, sir, and I will. But
hadn't we better try somewheres else?"

"There will not be time, man," cried Mark angrily.

"All right, Mr Mark, sir! but don't you blame me if anything happens."

"No. Come along, and let's be thankful for finding such a shelter. We
may as well get as many leaves as we can."

They found time to collect three loads of large dry palm leaves, and as
they carried the last armful into the rocky hole, the night was quite
closed in, and the crescent moon shone over the trees and silvered their
tops faintly, while a soft wind whispered among them and reached the
nostrils of the occupants of the cave, bearing with it the peculiar salt
strange odour of the sea.

"Say," said Billy, as they sat upon their heaps of palm leaves gazing
out of the mouth of their resting-place, "think of our being 'bliged to
stop in a hole like this when you can smell the sea."

"Not a bad place," said Mark; "and I wouldn't mind if I could feel sure
that my father and mother were not in trouble about me."

"My father and mother wouldn't trouble about me," said Billy, "even if
they know'd. But do you really think it was birds as made those noises,
Mr Mar