Josh struck it, and it snapped in two and fell in the bottom of the
boat, but burned long enough for him to light another, which was
successfully handed to Mr Temple, while Will took the hitcher and
forced the boat back to where the marks had been made on the wall by Mr
Temple's hammer.

"Strike another, my man, and hand it to me quick," cried Mr Temple
excitedly; and as it was done, and the tiny flame burned brightly in the
black darkness, he stood holding it close to the wall of rock; and then
as he let the little flame fall and extinguish itself, he exclaimed
joyfully:

"At last, boys! There's no danger. The tide is falling fast."

"Falling fast a'ready?" cried Josh.

"Yes; it is down a foot."

"Then--well, of all the gashly things! I must ha' been asleep."

It was but a question of waiting now; and though the time seemed long
there was plenty to interest the little party, as Mr Temple had the
boat kept close up to the rock, and felt his marks, announcing from time
to time how much the water had gone down. Then Dick got Will to thrust
down the boat-hook to try how deep it was, but to try in vain, though
they were more successful with the lead on a fishing-line, Josh
measuring the line after the lead had touched bottom, and announcing it
as "'bout five fathom."

All at once they noticed that the horrible rushing and gurgling of the
water had ceased; and soon after it became plain that it was harder work
to keep the boat close to the rock, for, in spite of the returns of the
water as the waves beat outside, there was a steady, constant set of the
current towards the mouth. So at last the measurement by the rocks had
to be given up, for Josh gave it as his opinion that they might as well
let the boat drift towards the cave mouth.

This was done; and though they were unable to calculate their progress,
as time went on they felt that they must be nearer the entrance.

Josh poked about with a boat-hook, now at the sides, now at the roof;
and then, as they were sitting down waiting patiently, there was a
peculiar shuffling and splashing noise heard.

"What's that?" exclaimed Dick.

"Seal!" cried Will; and as he spoke there was a splash as if the
creature had dived off a rock into the water.

But they had something more interesting than the seal to take their
attention, for all at once there was a faint greeny transparency right
before them. Then it darkened, lightened again, darkened and lightened
more