But this violent emotion was soon exhausted, and as they sat in the shelter of the rock they began to talk over what had happened, and tried to imagine how Lucy would regard their long absence from home.
"I expect she will be very angry," said Coral; "and oh, Beryl, I am afraid she will never let us keep Sunday school on the beach again."
"We must try to find a safer place," said Beryl thoughtfully. "That old cave was not very nice, and now I feel as if I never wanted to see it again. Coral, have you thought how God has heard our prayer? He has saved us, although He did not make the waves go back. Was it not strange that I never noticed that hole at the back of the cave until to-day?"
"Yes," said Coral; "but what a nasty, dark place it was. I was so frightened till I saw the light at the other end. And oh, Beryl, look at my boots!"
"Never mind about boots," said Beryl, surveying her own cut and soaked shoes with the utmost indifference. "I shall be glad enough to take mine off, though, for my stockings feel as if they had stuck to my feet. I wish the tide would make haste and go down."
"Will it be very long now, do you think?" asked Coral.
"Another hour, I dare say," said Beryl, as she peered down at the water below. "I say, Coral, what a good thing it is that papa is not at home! He would have been so frightened about us."
It seemed a long time to the children ere the tide receded. They watched the sun sink to rest, curtained by crimson and purple clouds, and not till the glow was beginning to fade from the summer sky were they able to descend from their lofty crag, and make their way across the wet, slippery stones to the stile, which commanded the nearest route home.
Beryl started in sudden fear, as she saw a dark figure leaning against the stile. What was her amazement when the figure turned towards her, and she saw that it was her father!
He had wandered there to look for her, though in his anguish, he believed all search would be vain, unless, indeed, it should reveal the dead body of his child. One moment he had been in utter despair, the next he heard a light step on the stones, and turning, saw Beryl by his side.