Ten minutes after this poor Tandy was clasping his children to his breast.
Innocent wee Babs was patting his cheek, and saying, “Never mind, daddy—never mind, dear daddy.” Childish consolation certainly, but, oh, so sweet! No wonder his pent-up feelings were relieved by tears at last.
The crane allayed his feelings by dancing a pas de joie on the coral sand. Bob gave vent to his by rushing about and barking at everything and everybody, but especially at the boat, which he seemed to regard as the innocent cause of all the trouble.
“Wowff—wowff—wow! Why did it run away anyhow?”
That is what Bob wanted to know.
But the tide had ebbed sufficiently to permit of a visit to the cave of delight, as Ransey called it.
James and Tandy, with Ransey and Fitz, embarked, the others remaining on shore.
Both men were as much delighted and astonished at what they saw as the children themselves had been. A large quantity of withered branches and foliage had been taken in the boat, to make a fire in the crystalline cave.
“But oh, father,” said Ransey, “you should have seen it last night when we lit it up with crimson light!”