Menhardoc Part 39

"Ay, it be!" said Josh. "See yon island, sir?" he continued, pointing to a long black reef standing up out of the sea about half a mile from sh.o.r.e. "Why, I've known that covered by the waves. They'll wash right over it, and send their tops clean over them highest rocks."

"And how high are they?" said Mr Temple, examining the ragged pile, upon which were perched half a dozen beautiful grey gulls, apparently watching their fellows, who were slowly wheeling about over the surface in search of food.

"Good fifty feet, sir; and I've seen the waves come rolling in like great walls, and when they reached the rocks they've seemed to run right up 'em and go clean over."

"That's what you call the sea running mountains high, eh, my man?" said Mr Temple, rather dryly.

"No, sir, I don't," said Josh quietly; "'cause the sea don't run mountains high. Out in the middle of the bay there, where the water's deep, I dunno as ever I see a wave that would be more than say fifteen foot high. It's when it comes on the rocks and strikes that the water's thrown up so far. Look at that, sir," he said, pointing towards a wave that came along apparently higher than the boat, as if it would swamp them, but over which they rode easily. "See where she breaks!"

They watched the wave seem to gather force till it rose up, curled over like a glistening arc of water, striking the rocks, and then rushing up, to come back in a dazzling cascade of foam.

"How high did she go?" said Josh quietly.

"Why, it must have dashed up nine or ten feet, my man," replied Mr Temple.

"Things look small out here, sir," said Josh. "If you was to measure that you'd find it all two fathom, and this is a fine day. Sea leaps pretty high in a storm, as maybe you'll see if you're going to stop down here."

"I hope I shall," said Mr Temple. "Now, then, where are you going to land next?"

"Will and me thought p'r'aps you'd like to see the white rock as he found one day?"

"White rock? what is it--quartz?" said Mr Temple.

"No, sir, I don't think it is," said Will; "it's too soft for that."

"You know what quartz is, then," said Mr Temple quickly.

"Oh, yes, sir! all the mining lads down here know what that is. Pull steady, Josh. Somewhere about here, wasn't it?"

"Nay, nay, my lad. I should have thought you'd knowed. Second cove beyond the seal-cave."

"Seal-cave!" cried d.i.c.k. "Are we going by the seal-cave?"

"Yes," said Will; "but the sea is too high to go in to-day. There's the seal-cave," he continued, pointing to a small hole into which the waves kept dashing and foaming out again. From where they were it did not seem to be above half a yard across, and not more above the sea to the jagged arch, while at times a wave raced in and it was out of sight-- completely covered by the foaming water.

"I don't think much of that," said Arthur; "it looks more like a rough dog kennel."

"Yes, sir; sea-dog's kennel," said Will, who always addressed Arthur as "sir," while he dropped that t.i.tle of respect with d.i.c.k.

"Ah! well, you must examine the seal-cave another day," said Mr Temple.

"Let's see this vein of white stone that you say you found, my lad."

Five minutes' rowing brought them abreast of a split in the cliff, which was divided from top to bottom; and here, after a little manoeuvring, Josh took the boat in, but the sea was so rough that every now and then, to d.i.c.k's delight, they were splashed, and Arthur held on tightly by the thwart.

"I shall have to stop aboard, sir," said Josh, "and keep the boat off the rocks, or we shall have a hole in her. I'll back in astarn, and then perhaps you wouldn't mind jumping off when I take you close to that flat rock."

Mr Temple nodded, and as the boat was turned and backed in, he stood up and followed Will, who lightly leaped on to the rock, while before they knew it, d.i.c.k was beside them, and the boat a dozen feet away.

"Be careful," was all he said, and then he smiled as his eyes rested upon Arthur, who was holding on to the thwart with both hands looking the image of dismay. For the boat was in troubled water, rising and falling pretty quickly, and requiring all Josh's attention to keep it from b.u.mping on the rocks.

Will started forward at once, clambering into the narrow rift, which was not very easy of access on account of the number of brambles that ran in all directions, but by carefully pressing them down, the trio got on till they were some fifty feet up the rift. Then, stooping down, Will bent some rough growth aside so as to lay bare the rock and show that, nearly hidden by grey lichen and stonecrop which was growing very abundantly, the rock seemed to be of a pinky cream instead of the prevailing grey and black.

Mr Temple examined it closely without a word. Then taking out his hammer he was about to strike off a fragment, but he refrained and rose up once more.

"That will do for to-day," he said, to Will's disappointment; and for the time it seemed as if the white vein of soft rock was not worthy of notice; but Will noted one thing, and so did d.i.c.k. It was that Mr Temple carefully replaced the brambles and overgrowth before climbing higher to the very top of the rift, where he could look out on the open country before he descended and joined the two boys again.

"Now," he said shortly, "back to the boat."

It needed no little skill to get aboard the boat, but Josh handled her so well that he sent her stern close up to the rock upon which they had landed; but just as Mr Temple was about to step on to the rock, in came a wave, and it was flooded two feet deep.

"Little quicker next time, sir," shouted Josh.

"Will you go first, d.i.c.k?" said Mr Temple. "Or no; I will," he added; and this time he managed so well that he stepped on to the rock as it was left dry, and from it to the gunwale of the boat as it came towards him, and thence on board.

"Now, d.i.c.k, watch your time," said Mr Temple as he sat down.

"All right, father!" shouted back d.i.c.k. "I can do it."

"Don't hurry, master," said Josh, as the stone was once more flooded.

"Now!" he cried, as the wave sank again.

"One, two, three warning!" shouted d.i.c.k, and he jumped on to the rock as it was left bare again, and then found himself sliding on a piece of slimy sea-weed rapidly towards the edge. He made a tremendous effort to recover himself; but it had the contrary effect, and as the next wave came in poor d.i.c.k went into it head over heels, and down into deep water.

Arthur uttered a cry, and Mr Temple started up in the boat.

"Sit down!" roared Josh; "he'll come up, and I'll put you alongside him."

Almost as he spoke d.i.c.k's head popped up out of the water, and he shook the hair out of his eyes and swam towards the boat, into which he half climbed, was half dragged, and there stood dripping and looking astonished.

"I say, how was that?" he said, staring from one to the other. "I couldn't stop myself. It was like being on ice."

"Sea-weed," said Josh gruffly. "Steady, Will, lad. Don't _you_ come aboard that way."

Will did not, but stepped lightly from rock to rock and then into the boat, hardly wetting his feet.

"If I was you, Master d.i.c.k," said Josh, "I'd take an oar and row going back--leastwise if we be going back. Then you won't hurt a bit."

"I was going to propose walking home," said Mr Temple, "and I think that will be best."

So they were set ash.o.r.e at the nearest point to the cliff pathway, where a tramp over the hot rocks with the sunshine streaming down upon his head, half dried d.i.c.k before he got back to their rooms, where the dinner he ate after a change fully proved that he was none the worse for this second dip.

"I say, father," he said, "one ought to get used to the sea down here."

"I think so too," said his father smiling; "but, d.i.c.k, you must not go on like this."

"No," said d.i.c.k; "it's Taff's turn now;" and he said it in so quietly serious a manner that his brother half rose from his seat.

"Oh! by the way, Arthur," said Mr Temple, "d.i.c.k's accident made me forget yours. How is the wounded leg?"