Wilmot led the way, and the rest followed. There was no danger in the caves, as the sea washed in to the furthest point of them every day, and they had nothing worse to walk on than a bed of exquisite sand. They wandered about, admiring the roof and laughing at the grotesque shapes which their shadows made upon it and the rocky sides; and then George proposed to dance a hornpipe, and they should see how that looked. They were very merry over this, but as the candles began to burn rather low, they all got up to proceed homewards once more. Suddenly a cry from the younger ones in front, who were climbing along the ledges of the rock, startled them, and Wilmot and Hope hurried forward, quickly followed by the rest. On the ground sat Alice, who was next in age to George, holding her foot, and in the half-light looking ghastly pale. "What is it?" asked Hope, kneeling down by her, and rapidly beginning to unlace her boot. "Oh, don't!" she shrieked. "I cannot bear it. Oh, what have I done?" "It is a sprain, I expect," said Hope; "but do, Alice dear, let me get off your boot." Alice let go her clinging fingers, and once more Hope tried to undo the fastenings with gentle touch. "Now I must draw it off, dear; but we will soon bathe it with sea-water, and then it will be better." As she spoke she tenderly, but firmly, drew off the boot. "There," she said reassuringly, at the cry of agony which escaped the child, "now it will be easier." When, however, she looked up in her sister's face, she found she had fainted. The candles had by this time gone out, and though they could not see either the sky or sea, they were near enough to the mouth of the cave to distinguish all around them. "Shall I run and get some water?" asked George. "She could not drink that," said Hope, "of course; but what a pity we did not bring any with us." They laid Alice down, and Nellie examined the wounded foot. "How did she do it?" Hope asked. "We none of us know exactly; but she slipped off that ledge." "She will be better soon," said Nellie; "but see how her foot is swelling up! Don't you think we might pour some sea-water over it?" "We haven't a thing to fetch it in. I forgot," said George. "Here is my hat," answered Wilmot; "you could get a good lot in that." George and one of the others ran out for it, and in a few minutes returned with it full. "My!" he exclaimed. "Isn't the sea come up since we came in here!" "We must be quick," said Hope, calmly proceeding to pour the contents over Alice's foot. The cold water dashing on the painful, heated ancle, brought Alice back to consciousness. Hope asked her if she could rise. She struggled to a sitting posture, looking frightened and woebegone. "Come, we must go; we have been a long time, and George says the tide is rising."