"Mike, old chap, it's too horrid to think of them at home.

Come on." Mike did not speak, but gave a sharp nod; and, summoning all their resolution, and trying hard to force themselves to believe that the smugglers had gone, they waded carefully on, now breathing more freely as they reached the mouth, with the bright light of morning shining full in to where they were, and sending a thrill of hope through every fibre and vein.
They paused, but only for a few minutes; and then, after a sign to Mike, Vince took another step or two, and leaned forward till he could peer round the side of the low arch and scan the interior of the outer cave.
Then, slowly drawing back, after a couple of minutes' searching examination, he spoke to Mike in a whisper.
"There isn't a sign of anybody," he said; "and I can't hear a sound.
Come on, and let's risk it." Their pulses beat high as, bracing themselves together, they stepped right from the low archway, moving very cautiously, so as to gaze out as far as they could command at the cove.
They fully expected to see some good-sized vessel lying there, or at least a large boat; but there were the sea-birds and the hurrying waters--nothing more.

"They must have gone," whispered Vince.

"Unless they are where we can't see--round by their cave." "I believe they've gone," said Vince; and they stepped in on to the soft, loose sand, to find everything belonging to them untouched.

Then, gaining confidence, Mike stepped boldly inward, right up to the right-hand corner beneath the fissure, and stood listening, but there was not a sound.
"Right," he whispered, as he stepped back: "they have gone." But the boy's heart beat faster as he led the way now to the entrance of the inner cave; for there was the possibility of the passage being blocked, and, another thing, it was early morning, and the smugglers might be sleeping still in the soft sand.
Vince whispered his fears, and then, going first, he passed into the narrow passage without a sound, and stole cautiously along it till he could crane his head round and look.
For some moments he could see nothing, but by degrees his eyes grew accustomed to the soft gloom, and the walls and roof and sandy floor gradually stood out before his eyes, and the next minute, to his great joy, he could see the rope running up into the dark archway and disappearing there.
Nothing more: no sound of heavy breathing but his own--no trace of danger whatever.
He drew back again and placed his lips to his companion's ear.
"It's all right," he whispered; "they must have gone.