“Or you would have had a look at it before now, eh?”
“Yes, sir,” said Will, colouring.
“We’ll go and have a look at it now,” said Mr Temple; “but I don’t think we shall find anything of much good.”
“Here, papa, what’s this?” cried Arthur eagerly. “This must be gold.”
“Copper,” cried Will. “Then there is copper here too!”
“Yes, that is copper,” said Mr Temple, examining and re-fracturing a glistening piece of stone full of purple and gold reflections, with touches of blue and crimson. “Peacock ore some people call it. Now, let’s have a climb. Or stop, let’s have a look at that cave. I should not wonder if the adit is there.”
“Beggin’ yer pardon, sir,” said Josh respectfully, “I don’t think as I’d go in there, if I was you.”
“Why not?” said Mr Temple, as he stood just inside the rugged cavern, whose mouth was fringed with sea-ferns.
“Well, you see, sir, they say gashly things about these here old zorns.”
“What sort of things, Josh?” cried Dick. “Wild beasts in ’em?”