“Old Josh’s fast asleep,” said Dick merrily. “It’s he snoring. Let’s splash him. No; I’ll rock the boat.”
Suiting the action to the word, Dick gave the boat a rock whose result was to bump it hardly against a rock, and then there was a loud start out of the darkness a few feet away, and then the boat bumped again.
“Why, halloa! what cheer—eh? What?”
“Why, you’ve been to sleep, Josh.”
“No; on’y just closed my eyes,” cried Josh; “on’y just shut ’em a moment;” though the fact was Josh had been asleep a long way over an hour. “Master ’most done?”
“I don’t know,” said Dick; “I know I’m precious tired of waiting.”
“Tell ’ee what,” said Josh suddenly, as he began to feel about with an oar as the boat swayed more up and down, and was carried a little towards where Mr Temple was standing, and then drawn back; “tide’s coming in fast.”
“Why, Will,” said Mr Temple just at the same moment, “how’s this? That ledge was bare—”
“Now it’s six inches under water, sir,” replied Will. “I think we ought to get out at once.”
“Stop a few minutes longer,” said Mr Temple; “there is evidently the outcrop of a vein here. Hold the light.”