"Joe's quite right, sir. I had a most dreadful feeling as we stood there in the black darkness. It seemed as if a vast abyss had suddenly engulfed us and we were sinking to fathomless depths."
"I'll back up Joe and Mr. Neville, dad. My word, when you spoke, it was as if some one had suddenly pulled me out of a dreadful nightmare."
The pals went to bed early, as they were tired out after the unwonted exertions of the day, but not to sleep. They were too excited for that.
"I say, chaps," exclaimed Sandy, jumping out of bed after he had tossed about for a few minutes, dragging his stretcher alongside the bigger bed, "let's settle what we're goin' to do."
"Was just thinking of doin' a sleep, Master M'Intyre, when you commenced to drag the jolly stretcher with enough noise to wake the seven sleepers. An' as for ole Tom, I fancied I heard a snore comin' through a hole in his pumpkin——"
"Pumpkin yourself, Blain. I'm as wide awake as you, or that grinnin' ape Sandy."
"How d'yer know I'm grinnin'?"
"'Cause I can see your jolly teeth shinin' in the dark. But I say, ole chap, I'm on for a confab. Ouch! my legs are stiff. Wish I'd taken that hot bath your mother advised. Whatcher got in your ole noddle?"
"Something big, mates, but the difficulty will be with mother. You see, now ole Ben's prowlin' about, mother'll be hard to persuade."
"Well, tell us what's up your sleeve; we can discuss ways an' means after."