Josh led the way down the cliff--rather a dangerous road, but one which seemed easy enough to him, while Arthur shuddered and stopped two or three times on the way down, as if the descent made him giddy. He was always well enough, though, to resent any offer of assistance, even into the boat when it was hauled close up to the rock. Josh would have lifted him in; Will was ready to lay a back for him and porter him in like a sack; but the sensitive London boy looked upon these offers of aid as insulting; and the consequence was that he got on board with one of his shoes full of water, and a very small piece of skin taken off his shin. "Shall we row you on to Blee Vor," said Josh. Mr Temple nodded in a short business-like way, and taking out his glass, he began to examine the rock as they went along. All of a sudden, though, he turned to Dick. "Go and take that oar," he said sharply; and then to Will--"Come here, my lad." Will coloured a little as he gave up his oar to Dick, who began rowing with a great deal of vigour and a great deal of splash, but with little effect upon the progress of the boat. "And so you are spending your spare time hunting for metals, are you, my lad?" said Mr Temple, gazing sharply at Will. "Yes, sir." "Why?" Will hesitated for a moment and then said frankly: "I want to get on, sir, and make myself independent." "Capital idea!" said Mr Temple; "but what knowledge have you on the subject? Have you studied mineralogy?" "Not from books, sir. Only what the miners about here could teach me." "But you know a little about these things?" "Very little, sir; but I'm trying to learn more." "Ah! that's what we are all trying to do," said Mr Temple quickly. "That will do. Perhaps we shall see a little more of each other." He took up his glass once more; and feeling himself to be dismissed, Will went back to his seat, and would have taken the oar, but Dick wanted to learn how to row, and would not give it up. "Go and help my brother catch another bass," he said; so rather unwillingly the lad went to where Arthur was diligently dragging the whiffing-line through the water. "Don't you get any bites, sir?" said Will. "No. I don't think there are many fish hero now," said Arthur haughtily. "But there are a few," said Will smiling. "Did you put on a good bait?" "Good bait!" said Arthur, looking at his questioner in a half-offended tone. "Yes, you must have a good lask on your hook, or the fish will not rise at it." "Why, I've got the same hook on that my brother used when he caught that fish." "Let me look," said Will quietly. Arthur frowned, and would have declined, but Will did not wait for permission, and drew in the line till he came to the lead, lifted it carefully inboard, and then hauled up the hook. "You might have kept on trying all day," said Will. "There's no bait." "Oh, indeed! then some fish must have bitten it off," said Arthur in the most nonchalant way. "I thought I felt a tug."