“There!” he said, “I’ve got one. I told you so.”
“Bet it’s not a salmon,” said Ginger but with a certain excitement in his voice.
“I bet it is,” said William, “if it’s not a salmon I—I——” with a sudden burst of inspiration, “I’ll go through that hole in the cave—so there!”
He tugged harder.
His “catch” came out.
It was an old boot.
******
They escorted him back to the cave. The hole looked far too small for one of William’s solid bulk. They stood below and stared at it speculatively.
“You’ve got to,” said Ginger, “you said you would.”
“Oh, all right,” said William with a swagger which was far from expressing his real feelings, “I bet I can easy get through that little hole an’ I bet I’ll find a big place full of smugglers or smuggled stuff inside. Give me a shove ... that’s it.... Oo,” irritably, “don’t shove so hard.... You nearly pushed my head off my neck.... Go on—go on.... Oo, I say, I’m getting through quite easy ... it’s all dark ... it’s a sort of passage....” William had miraculously scraped himself through the small aperture. Two large boots was all of him which was now visible to the Outlaws. Those, too, disappeared, as William began to crawl down the passage. It was mercifully a little wider after the actual opening. His voice reached them faintly.