“I don’t know what it is,” responded Nelson cautiously, “but when you see lights flashing along the shore these days it’s a good plan to keep your eyes peeled.”
“Probably a Coast Guard or a—a—look here, we don’t want to spend the night on this forsaken place, Nep. That fellow, whoever he is, has a boat, and even if he won’t take us off he can probably tell us how to find a village.”
“I don’t think the light down there was in a boat,” said Nelson. “I think there’s a bit of beach there. A boat where that light was would be right in the surf. Listen, Mart. We’re farther from the water than we were.”
“Yes, but——” Martin began querulously, but stopped. After a moment he went on in a different tone. “Maybe you’re right, Nep,” he said softly. “Come on and let’s see where we are, first of all.”
They crept gingerly in the direction of the first light, testing each step for fear that they might reach the edge of the cliff too suddenly. Low bushes took the place of the sod, and small stones impeded their uncertain steps. After a minute they stopped abruptly, for, below them and nearer now, the first light they had glimpsed was again flashing its message into the mist and gloom. Three times it showed and then went out. The boys waited. Moments passed and no answering beacon appeared at sea. Then, when they had almost reached the conclusion that they had imagined that first reply, two dim flashes lit the darkness.
“It’s much nearer,” whispered Mart.
“Yes, and that light down here is from a lantern on the beach. It looks queer to me, Mart.”
“Sure it’s queer! It’s some funny business that we’ve got to find out about, old man. Flop down on your tummy and crawl out to the edge, but be careful and don’t make a row. Come on.”
The edge was much farther than they had thought, and long before they had reached it they were wriggling down a slope of worn ledge, fissured and broken, that was extremely detrimental to clothing. Mart found the edge first when his exploring hand failed to touch anything ahead of him and he gave a warning whisper. Lying on their stomachs with their heads close together they exchanged impressions.
“The beach can’t be more than twenty feet down,” whispered Nelson. “I think I heard the chap with the lantern a second ago.”