Menhardoc Part 72

"It annoys them," whispered Will.

"Ho!" said Josh. Then he was silent, and for quite half an hour all sat listening to the gurgling, hissing, and rushing noises made by the water.

Then, when it seemed to d.i.c.k, who had tight hold of his brother's hand, that he could bear it no longer, his father asked for another match.

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 d.i.c.k 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 d.i.c.k.

"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 or less till, all at once, there was a flash, so short, quick, and brilliant that it dazzled their darkness-becurtained eyes like lightning.

"Hoo-ray!" shouted d.i.c.k, stamping his feet on the bottom of the boat.

"Now, all together--hip-hip-hip hooray!"

Arthur, Will, and Josh joined in making the cave echo as there was another and another flash of light, and soon after the arch at the mouth of the cave began to open more and more; and at last the boat floated out into the dazzling afternoon sunshine, and was rowed steadily back.

"Been shut-up in a zorn!" cried Mrs Marion, who declared that the dinner was spoiled; "then it was all the fault of that great idle Josh and that stupid, good-for-nothing boy."

"No, Mrs Marion," said Mr Temple gently, "the fault was entirely mine."

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

MR. TEMPLE TAKES WILL INTO HIS CONFIDENCE AND ASTONISHES UNCLE ABRAM.

"d.i.c.k," said Mr Temple one morning, as he looked up from the table covered with specimens of ore and papers.

"Yes, father."

"Is Will Marion at home?"

"Yes, father. Hark!" He held up his hand to command silence, and from the back garden came the sound of a shrill voice scolding, and the deep rumble of Uncle Abram, apparently responding.

"You idle, good-for-nothing, useless creature. I wish we were well rid of you, I do."

"Softly. Steady, old lady, steady," growled Uncle Abram.

"Oh! it's no use for you to take his part. I say he's a lazy, idle, stupid, worthless fellow, and he sha'n't stop here any longer. There: get out of my sight, sir--get out of my sight, and don't come back here till you're asked."

"Easy, old lady, easy," growled Uncle Abram. "What's the lad been doing now?"

"Nothing," cried Aunt Ruth, who was suffering from the effect of what people call getting out of bed the wrong way--"nothing, and that's what he's always doing--nothing. I'm sick of the sight of him--eat, eat, eat, and sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, and grow, grow, grow, all the year round. I'm sure I don't know what we do having him here. I hate the sight of him."

"Will," said Uncle Abram, "go down and see that the boat's cleaned out; perhaps Mr Temple will want her to-day."

"Eat, eat, eat, and grow, grow, grow," cried Aunt Ruth.

"Which it is the boy's natur' to," said the old man good-humouredly.

"There, be off, Will."

"Run out now and you'll catch him before he goes," said Mr Temple.

d.i.c.k hurried out by the front to waylay Will, but encountered Uncle Abram.

"Where's Will, my lad? Oh! he's coming. Old lady's been blowing off steam a bit. Busy day with her, you see. Cleaning. Didn't hear, did you?"

"Oh, yes! we could hear every word," said d.i.c.k with a comical look.

The old gentleman glanced over his shoulder and then patted d.i.c.k on the chest with the back of his hand. "It's all right," he said in a deep ba.s.s. "She don't mean nothing by it. Fond o' Will as ever she can be.

Feels often, you know, as she must scold something, and sometimes she scolds Will, sometimes it's Amanda the la.s.s, sometimes me. Why," he said cheerfully, "I have known her set to and let the tables and chairs have it for not shining when they were being rubbed. It's all right, my lad, all right. She's awfully fond of our Will, and if you hear her say she aren't don't you believe her. Here he comes."

Will came round from the back just then, with his head hanging, and a look of dejection in his whole aspect; but as he caught sight of Uncle Abram and d.i.c.k he made an effort to hide his trouble.

"Here he is," said the old gentleman, clapping Will on the shoulder, "here he is, Master d.i.c.k, my nevvy, and as stout and strong a lad of his years as there is in these parts. Your par wants him, does he?"

"My father wants him," said d.i.c.k st.u.r.dily. "I never call him pa."

"That's right, my lad. I never called my father pa. Wants our Will, do he? Well, I was going to send him down to get the boat ready. Go and see what Master Temple wants, my lad. 'Member what I said, Master d.i.c.k, sir."

"All right!" replied d.i.c.k; and Will followed him to the door.

"What has my uncle been saying?" he said quickly.

"Oh! only that I wasn't to notice what your aunt said, and that she don't mean all that scolding."

Will drew a long breath, and leaning his arm against the door-post he placed his forehead against it.

"I can't bear it," he groaned; "I can't bear it. I seem to be so poor and dependent, and she is always telling me that I am a beggar and an expense to them. Master d.i.c.k, I'd have gone years ago, only it would half break poor old uncle's heart. He is fond of me, I know."