"Why, it may be horribly deep, and we should have to swim in ever so far in the darkness before we touched bottom; and who knows what a seal would do if it was driven to bay ?" "Better have to fight seals than be caught by these men, Ladle," said Vince.

"But we ought to have something to fight the seals with.
There's the big stick in the other cavern, and your knife." "And yours." "Yes; there's mine," said Vince thoughtfully.

"Ah! of course there's the conger club with the gaff hook at the end." "To be sure.

But, oh no, we couldn't do that.

It would be horrible to wade or swim into that hole without a light." "We'd take a light," said Vince.
"Yes, but we'd better try the other cave," said Mike hurriedly.