Now didn't you ?" "All right," said Mike sulkily; "but I did think you were a fellow who had more stuff in you.

There, you won't do anything adventurous." "Yes, I will," cried Vince quickly: "I'll get the lanthorn and go and explore the seal's hole, if you'll come." "And get bitten to death by the brutes.

No, thankye." "Bitten to death! Just as if we couldn't settle any number of seals with sticks or conger clubs!" "Ah, well, you go and settle 'em, and call me when you've done." "No need to.

You wouldn't let me go alone.

Now then, we'll get some fish, and have a good fry." Vince ran to the wall, where their lines hung upon a peg; and now they noticed, for the first time, that there had been a high tide during the late storm, for the sand had been driven up in a ridge at one side of the cave mouth, but had only come in some twenty or thirty feet.
Their baits, in a box pierced with holes to let the water in and out, were quite well and lively; and putting some of these in a tray, they went cautiously out from rock to rock in the wide archway till there was deep water just beyond for quite another twenty feet; then rocks again, and beyond them the gurgling rush and hurry of the swift currents, while the pool before them, though in motion, looked smooth and still, save that a close inspection showed that the surface was marked with the lines of a gentle current, which apparently rose from below the rocks on the right.
It was an ideal place for sea-fishing, for the great deep pool was free from rocks save those which surrounded it, and not a thread of weed or wrack to be seen ready to entangle their lines or catch their hooks; while they knew from old experience that it was the sheltered home of large shoals, which sought it as a sanctuary from the seals or large fish which preyed upon them.
In addition, the place they stood upon was a dry, rocky platform, shut off from the cave by a low ridge, against which they could lean their backs, whilst another much lower ridge was just in front, as if on purpose to hide them from the fish in the crystal water of the great pool.
Partly behind them and away to their right was the entrance to the seals' hole, from which came a hollow splashing from time to time, as something moved; every sound making Mike turn his head quickly in that direction, and bringing a smile to Vince's lips.
"Ah! it's all very well," said Mike sourly, "but everybody isn't so brave as you are." "Might as well have lit our fire before we came here," said Vince, ignoring the remark.
"What's the good of lighting the fire till we know whether we shall get any fish ?" said Mike.