"Oh, you won't hear 'em p'r'aps, sir," said Josh, "till we are close on to them, and then there'll be a splash and a rush. If there be any of 'em they're huddled up together, wondering what this here lantern means." "Then there is no other way out?" "Not for them, sir. There's a bit of a hole up towards the end, where a bird might fly out, but there's no way for the fish." All this time Josh and Will were propelling the boat along with an oar or a boat-hook, and when the way was very narrow and the rocks within reach thrusting it forward with their hands. "There, there, there's one," cried Dick, as there was a heavy rushing noise which came whispering and echoing past where they were. "Ay, that be one, Master Richard," cried Josh, mastering the boy's name for once. "She'll go right to the end and come up again." "How far is it to the end?" said Mr Temple. "Six or eight fathom," said Josh; "not more, sir. If the light was stronger you could see it." "Then we'll have a stronger light," said Mr Temple. "Open that lantern, Dick." The boy obeyed, and his father ignited the end of a piece of magnesium wire, which burst out into a brilliant white light, showing them the roof and sides of the narrow cave, flashing off the water, and, what was of greater interest still, displaying the heads of a couple of seals raised above the surface at the end of the channel, and the dark-grey shiny body of another that had crawled right into a rift but could get no farther, and was now staring timidly at them. The light sputtered and glowed, and dense white fumes floated in a cloud above their heads, while the boat was urged softly closer and closer towards the seals, the effect being that as the animals saw the light and the curious objects beneath advancing towards them the two in the water swam to the end and began to crawl out upon the rock, forcing themselves towards their companion in the rift. "Go right on, sir?" said Will in a low voice. "Yes. Close on, my lad," said Mr Temple. "Have a good look at them, boys, before they go." "You're not going to catch one, are you, father?" "Oh no! We'll have a good look at them. Wild creatures are getting far too scarce about the coast as it is." He kept manipulating the wire as he spoke, sparks and incandescent pieces falling the while with a loud hiss in the water, making Arthur start till he was prepared for what was to come. And as Mr Temple managed the light and stood up in the boat its pale dazzling rays made the cave as light as day; and at last they were within three or four yards of the seals, which suddenly, after gliding and shuffling one over the other in utter astonishment, made Arthur and Dick start back, falling over into the bottom of the boat.