“Pleasanter?” said Mike. “Oh!”
“Be quiet, and don’t be stupid,” said Vince. “Look here: don’t forget all you’ve read about chaps playing the hero when they are in great difficulties.”
“Who’s going to play the hero when he’s up to his knees in cold water?” cried Mike bitterly.
“Well, he has a better chance than if he was up to his neck; same as that fellow would have a better chance than one who was out of his depth.”
“I say,” cried Mike excitedly, “does the tide run up here and fill the cave?”
“No. It was high water when we came in, wasn’t it? We never saw it more than half-way up the arch. Now look here, Ladle: we’re in a mess.”
“As if I didn’t know!”
“And we’ve got to get ourselves out of it, because nobody knows anything about this place or our having come here. Think Lobster will say he has seen us come this way once? He’s sure to hear we’re missing and that they’re looking for us.”
“I don’t suppose he will,” said Mike dismally. “If they came this way they wouldn’t find the hole. They’ll think we’ve gone off the cliff and been drowned. What will they say! what will they say!”
These words touched Vince home, and for a few minutes a peculiar feeling overcame him; but the boy had too much good British stuff in him to give way to despair, and he turned angrily upon his companion: