The cavern was lighter now than the two prisoners had ever seen it, so that Tom was able to have a good look; and he finished off by trotting down as near to the mouth of the great place as he could, and then turning to Aleck.
“There,” he said, “I think we might venture out now. You can swim out now without having to dive. What do you say, Mr Wrighton, sir?”
“I think we ought to go at once.”
“Come on, then, gen’lemen. You’ll get a bit wet, but there’s a long climb arterwards up the hot rocks in the sunshine, and you’ll be ’most dry ’fore you get home.”
“Oh, never mind the water,” cried the middy. “My uniform’s spoilt. I’m ready to do anything to get out of here.”
“Will you go first, sir?” cried Tom Bodger.
“No, you found the way in,” was the reply, “so lead the way out.”
“Right, sir. Ready?”
“Then come on.”
The man took three or four of his queer steps, to stand for a moment on the edge of the deep pool, and then went in sidewise to swim like a seal for the low archway, whose weed-hung edges were only a few inches above the surface of the water, and as he reached it to pass under he laid his head sidewise so that the dripping shell-covered weed wiped his cheek.