“Did I? Oh yes, I remember. But I don’t wish to fish to-day. You can go on.”
“Oh, all right!” said Dick lightly. “I daresay I can soon get something;” and he set the line dragging behind.
“Like to be rowed over to yon mine, sir, on the cliff?” said Josh, nodding in the direction of the old shaft, the scene of his adventures with Will.
“Where, my man? I can see no remains. Oh yes, I can,” he continued, as he brought his glass to bear on the regular bank-slope formed by the material that had been dug and blasted out. “I see; that’s a very old place. Yes; I should like to inspect that first.”
“Me and him went down it lass week,” said Josh, as he tugged at the oar, Will having now joined him in forcing the boat along.
“It’s not a deep one, then,” said Mr Temple carelessly.
“Dunno how deep she be,” said Josh, “because she’s full o’ water up to the adit.”
“Oh, there is an adit then?”
“Yes, as was most covered over. She begins up on that level nigh the cliff top, where you can see the bit o’ brown rock with the blackberry bushes in it, and she comes out down in that creek place there where the bank’s green.”
“I see!” said Mr Temple eagerly. “Ah! that must be an old place. When was it given up?”