“You’ll do me pleasure.”
Straight along the south coast of the inland sea went Dr Barrett, Byarnie following up with his men. For more than half a mile he trudged on without looking either to the right or left. Then he stopped just under a cliff, or rather a rounded braeland.
“Now, men, clear away the snow from the ice close to the edge.”
“I think it was here I saw them in my dream,” he added, turning to Claude.
“I’m all in a fog,” said Claude.
The snow was not very deep, and the ice was soon cleared.
“Now light up your torches, and you other men smash the ice and clear a big hole. No fear of drowning; the tide is well back.”
This was a more difficult task, but it was accomplished at last, all the more easily because there was no water beneath.
“See anything down there?” the doctor asked of a man who had just lifted up a huge piece of ice.
“Only a thickish kind of seaweed, sir.”