“Oh yes, I can get up there; but it isn’t very good for the boots.”
Good or bad, Vince did not hesitate, but, lanthorn in hand, commenced the ascent by climbing right in the narrow part of the rift, where each foot became wedged between the sides of the opening, and had to be dragged out again as the next foot was brought over and placed in front.
“Awkward travelling,” said Vince; “but you can’t slip.”
“Begin to feel as if I can,” replied Mike—“right out of my shoes. I say, it is awkward.”
The distance they had to traverse here, however, was but short, and the next angle showed that the fault was at a much easier slope, while the opening was wider, so that they got along more pleasantly. But at the end of another twenty yards the walls began to close in, and the place looked so uninviting that Mike stopped. “Hadn’t we better go back?” he said. “What for?” replied Vince. “Let’s see the end of it. We can’t make any mistake in going back. There’s no roof to fall, and no pits or holes to drop into.”
“But it may go on for ever so long; and, I say, I don’t believe a pigeon ever flew through here.”
“Well, I don’t know,” said Vince. “It seemed to me as if they did, and— Hurrah, Ladle! I can see light.”
“Light? So there is. Look! it must come from round the next corner. That’s reflection we can see.”
And so it proved: for upon passing the next sharp angle Vince found himself facing the sea, which was visible through a great arch, far larger and more rugged than that in their own cavern mouth. Going on a little farther, he found himself at the end of the singular zigzag passage, which was an opening in the roof of another and larger cavern, and into which they looked down as from a window.
It was lighter and loftier than their own, and, like it, beautifully carpeted with sand; but, to the amazement of the lads, instead of this being smooth and wind-swept, as that of their own place when they first discovered it, the floor was covered with footmarks leading from the mouth inward to where the great cave grew dim and obscure. There were sails, too, and ropes. Several small yards and spars lay together by the side of the wall, and farther in were sails and three or four oars.