_must_ be there if they are not on the beach,' she repeated, turning
pale.

Jack only stared at her, his eyes wild, unable to believe the extent of
his mother's trust in so young a boy as Julien Matou. Recovering himself
quickly he rushed off without a word to his own room, and presently
reappeared with a long rope in his hand.

'What do you think has happened?' cried Mrs. Wright, rising quickly from
her chair in her fright at his face and manner.

'The tide!' exclaimed Jack, seizing a pair of grappling irons he had
laid upon the bench a few minutes before. 'If they are in the caves
there is but one way of saving them--the Treasure Cave. Pray that I may
be in time!'

He was gone almost before he had ceased speaking, his light step and
long limbs carrying him swiftly down the sandy path, and round the
corner of the spur of cliff. The tide had already reached the gorge. It
must be well into the caverns then. With firm feet he scrambled along
the rocks wherever they could help him, or took to the water when he
thought the waves would serve him better. As he drew nearer, he found
there was still time to gain the entrance to the outer cave before it
was submerged. With the tide in his favour, he managed this with ease.
His chief troubles would be with the strong under-tow and numerous
currents among the rocks.

Half swimming, half clambering, he made his way to the Cave of the
Silver Sand. Here the daylight was in his favour, but the whirl of
waters was dangerous and strong. Anybody who did not know the rocks as
well as Jack must have been sucked under to his destruction. Clinging to
the rocks, he made his way towards the Rift. Awaiting his chance, he
swam through this on the crest of a wave, and beheld the feeble light of
one remaining candle glimmering in front of him.

With anxious eyes he surveyed the darkness around, and then the objects
moving within the radius of that faint spark. Steadying himself against
the rocks, he was about to plunge again into the water, in order to
reach that point of light, when a heavy body was thrown against him.

Instinctively he grasped it, the surge of the water and the weight of
the inanimate form making him almost lose his hold. A few moments more
and his burden would have been sucked into the Rift, where his fate
would have been sealed indeed. It did not take Jack long to discover it
was Julien he held in his arms: Julien senseless, cold, drowning!

Then who was the second f