"Hold your hands, youngsthers," said the sailor. "Lie close 'eer behind the 'ill, an' I'll see if there's any shell-fish that we can make a meal av. Now that the sun's up, it won't do to walk down there. I must make a crawl av it." So saying, the old salt, after skulking some distance farther down the sand gully, threw himself flat upon his face, and advanced in this attitude, like some gigantic lizard crawling across the sand. The tide was out; but the wet beach, lately covered by the sea, commenced at a short distance from the base of the "dunes." After a ten minutes' struggle, Bill succeeded in reaching the dark-looking spot where Colin had conjectured there might be shell-fish. The old sailor was soon seen busily engaged about something; and from his movements it was evident, that his errand was not to prove fruitless. His hands were extended in different directions; and then at short intervals withdrawn, and plunged into the capacious pockets of his pea-jacket. [Illustration: THE OLD SAILOR SUCCEEDS IN GATHERING SOME SHELL-FISH.] After these gestures had been continued for about half an hour, he was seen to "slew" himself round, and come crawling back towards the sand-hills. His return was effected more slowly than his departure; and it could be seen that he was heavily weighted. On getting back into the gorge, he was at once relieved of his load, which proved to consist of about three hundred "cockles,"--as he called the shell-fish he had collected,--and which were found to be a species of mussel. They were not only edible, but delicious,--at least they seemed so to those who were called upon to swallow them. This seasonable supply did a great deal towards allaying the appetites of all; and even Terence now declared himself contented to remain concealed, until night should afford them an opportunity of escape from the monotony of their situation. CHAPTER XVI. KEEPING UNDER COVER. From the spot, where the camel still lay couched in his "entetherment," the sea was not visible to one lying along the ground. It was only by standing erect, and looking over a spur of the sand-ridge, that the beach could be seen, and the ocean beyond it.