The tide was undoubtedly on the turn; each wave seemed less forceful than the last, and though they were still surrounded by water, and likely to be kept prisoners for many hours yet, they could consider themselves free from danger, and feel that their lives had been spared. Time crept slowly on; fortunately, owing to the length of the July day, it was not yet dark, but the fog had not lifted, and they were not able to see even so far as the adjoining rocks. Their clothes were wet through with spray, and they felt damp, and chilly, and forlorn. Both girls had been tired out with their long day's pleasure before they were caught by the tide, and the hours of waiting seemed interminable. Muriel, exhausted with fright and exposure, clung piteously to Patty, crying quietly, and the latter gave her what comfort she had to offer. "The water's halfway down the rock already," she said. "In another hour we may be able to reach the shore, if only the mist would clear." "My foot still hurts," said Muriel. "I don't believe I shall be able to limp a step." "Perhaps a boat will come to find us, now the tide's not so high. I'm sure Miss Lincoln would send somebody to look." "You don't think she would go home without us, then?" "Oh, no! I'm quite certain she wouldn't. Someone would miss us, and then she would ask who had seen us last." "Do you think Kitty and Maud and Vera would tell? Perhaps they'd be ashamed of having left us." "They'd be obliged to tell. I expect if it hadn't been for the fog we should have been found before. If you leant your head against me, could you go to sleep?" "No, not with the water still so near," said Muriel, shuddering. "I must just sit still, and wait, and wait, and wait." Half an hour more passed; the girls were too weary to care to talk, but at last Muriel spoke again. "Patty," she said, suddenly, "I want to tell you a secret. It's something I ought to have told long ago, only I didn't dare. That Caesar translation belonged to me." "I thought it did," said Patty, calmly. "You thought so! Oh, Patty! How did you know?" "Because I saw you slip it into your desk that afternoon I came so unexpectedly into the schoolroom. I recognized the green cover the moment Miss Harper held it up." "And yet you never said anything about it?" "No." "Not to anybody? Not even to Enid?" "No, not even to Enid. I wasn't certain, and if I had been I wouldn't have told." "I've been wretched about it!" said Muriel. "I never intended you to get blamed, but I daren't confess it was mine." "Who gave you the book?" asked Patty. "Horace. He used it himself once, and those were his initials in it, H. P. for Horace Pearson; and of course everyone believed it meant Patty Hirst, because the two letters were interlaced, and could be read either way." "I'm sorry it was Horace's. I thought better of him," groaned Patty.