But while we were sitting down in the cave talking and laughing we suddenly heard a rumble of distant thunder.
"It seems to be a storm coming up," said Jack; "let's climb up and see."
The sky was wonderfully changed since we went into the cave about half an hour before; it was quite black now, and the birds flew about wildly in all directions.
We climbed down from the cave, and picked our way along the shore over the rough rocks and shingles, until we came to the pathway leading up to the top of the cliffs. As we went along, the storm increased; and by the time we reached this path it had begun to rain.
"We shall have a pelter in a minute," said Jack; "let's run for it."
We went at a tremendous pace up the cliff, and then tore across the field, for the rain was coming down very fast now. We did not stop to breathe till we had rushed through the open door of a public-house which stood on the road, about a hundred yards from the path leading down to the sea.
"Now," said Jack, "we're all right; that was well done! But we're only just in time," he said, as there came a vivid flash of lightning, a loud clap of thunder, and a tremendous downpour of rain.
"What will you drink, Peter?" he said. "Whiskey or beer?"
"Nothing, thank you," I said; "I never take anything of the kind."
"Oh, rubbish," he said; "you must drink something. Now you've come to take shelter here, for the good of the house you couldn't be so mean as to come in and to take nothing."