emple, as Dick felt his heart sink at the
sight of the little archway in the rock not a foot above the surface of
the water and sometimes with that surface going closer still towards the
rugged crown of the natural arch.

"Well, there aren't no other way," said Josh, whose long sleep had been
the cause of the mishap, for had he been awake he would have known that
they were staying longer than was safe.

"But," cried Mr Temple, who felt alarmed now on account of his boys and
their companions, "what are we to do? We must leave the boat and wade
out."

"Wade!" growled Josh. "Why, there's three fathom o' water under where
we sit."

"Then we must swim through," cried Mr Temple excitedly. "There is no
time to spare. Man, man, why did you not warn us of the danger?"

"Why--why?" growled Josh. "I didn't know. I never see the tide come up
that gashly way afore."

"It was while you were asleep, Josh," said Dick in a whisper; and Josh
turned upon him as if he had been stung.

"Now," cried Mr Temple, as he pointed to the low opening through which
was the sunshiny sea and safety, while on their side was apparently
darkness and death; "now, Dick, you can swim through there; but first
try whether by lying down we can force the boat under."

"Oh, I'll try!" said Josh; "but it's of no use, not a bit of use. Be
it, Will?"

"No," said the latter decidedly, as he and Josh urged the boat right up
to the entrance, and Mr Temple saw at once that it would be an
impossibility.

"Then we must swim," said Mr Temple. "You can swim that, Dick?"

"Yes, father," said Dick. "Clothes and all."

"Yes, of course, the distance is so short."

"And you, Arthur, you can swim through there?"

The boy could not speak, for he was battling down the horrible feeling
of dread that came over him.

"I say, you can swim that, Arthur?" said Mr Temple sternly.

"Yes, father. I'll try," said the boy quickly.

"That's well. Of course you two can swim?"

"Tidy, sir, tidy," said Josh; "and Will here, he could 'most beat a
seal. But there ain't no call to get wetting of ourselves. I'll shove
the boat back to where it's highest and where the water never reaches.
We can wait there till she goes down again."

"Do you know what you are talking about, man?" cried Mr Temple sternly.
"We should be suffocated."

"Josh means put the boat, sir, under the opening in the rock that he
spoke about," said Will. "There'll be plenty of air. You can s