“We’re crazy to see it,” said Sarita.
Mr. Tudor was inwardly amused at the turn of events. Again they were in his favor. “If you think that it will not be a trespass, Miss Peggy, I should like to go with you. It seems safe to me. Suppose you let me go first, however. I noted the boatman’s course, and we shall avoid the same rocks that took him aside.”
“Good!” cried Peggy. “Have you a light? We brought some.”
“Yes. I have a large flashlight.”
It seemed like a dream,—the late night, the restless waters, the mystery of the Cove, the yawning entrance of the cave. The Ives boat followed exactly the trail of the Swallow, which the girls now recognized. Now they passed the boiling surf. “Between Scylla and Charybdis,” quoted Leslie to Sarita, and Peggy, who did not know what she meant, decided to look that up.
Bowing his head, Mr. Tudor pulled upon his oars, and his boat disappeared into the yawning maw of the cavern. Jack was wondering if it were safe to follow immediately, but he heard a call, “Come on,” and the entrance was illuminated by the light which Mr. Tudor carried and which he flashed upon the churning waters in the center of the opening. Down went the heads,—a breathless moment! Now!
The Secrest-Ives combination were within the pirate cave! Looking about by the steady light which Mr. Tudor held for them, they saw his boat drawn aside a little and near a floating dock, as it might be called, a mere plank tightly fastened to posts at the very edge of a worn rocky ledge, the floor of the cave. Waters stretched to the right and left of them. Above, the roof of the cave was low at the entrance, but lifted to a high vault farther in. “Snug place,” said Leslie, turning her own flashlight from side to side.
Mr. Tudor examined the landing, made it firm by some quick manipulation, and leaped out of his boat, which he had fastened. “Want to get out?” he inquired, leaning toward the passengers of Jack’s boat, which now occupied the other side of the landing space. He held his hand to the girls, while Jack kept the boat steady. “Let us keep together,” suggested Mr. Tudor. Having the largest light, he naturally took the lead.
They found it a large cave, quite evidently often and recently used. Nature had been assisted in making it a safe storage for either goods or persons, for they found more than one room, with steps cut in uneven places, and a long passage leading somewhere. They did not follow that very far, for Mr. Tudor suggested that it would not be best to stay long “this time” on account of the tide. There were cots standing on end, and one which had been left with bedding on it.
Peggy shuddered. “Think of sleeping with such damp bedding!” she said.