But Beth was not inclined to let him try. Instead of standing clear she clung to him more tightly than before. "Don't do it, Jimmy," she said. "Still nervous about the smuggler's ghost?" "I'm not thinking about ghosts. Suppose another stone came down when you were halfway up that chimney?" That was a real peril and Jimmy was obliged to consider it. Jammed tight in what might very well prove to be a narrow passage he would be quite defenceless against a falling stone. As if to emphasise the reality of the risk, there came rumbling and clattering down the chimney a shower of pebbles and loose earth. Beth was startled again--so startled, that she loosed her grasp round Jimmy's elbow and flung her arms round his neck. "Jimmy, dearest," she said, "you'll be killed if you go." It is very likely that he would have been killed, for a small avalanche of stones, pebbles and earth came rushing down. The loose debris clattered and crashed on the floor of the cave, some of the stones rolling up to Beth's feet. Jimmy pulled her back still further from the hole. "Don't go, Jimmy," she said. "All right. I won't. It's not good enough. But I say, Beth----" Relieved of her fear for him and far enough from the hole to feel safe herself, Beth realised that she was clinging very close to Jimmy. The position, though very pleasant for him, was embarrassing for her. She drew away quickly. "I say, Beth," said Jimmy, "don't do that. What I mean to say is, go on doing that. Don't you think you ought to?" "I'm quite sure I ought not. I can't think how I came to do it." "If I say I'm going up the hole, you might do it again. Would you?" "Certainly not." "But when we're married," said Jimmy, "you'll more or less have to. I mean to say, it's the regular thing then. So I've always understood. And as we're engaged to be married now----" "We're not." "Well, as good as engaged." "We're not as good as engaged. I've told you that a dozen times at least, Jimmy. The most that I ever said was that we might be some time or other." "Can't see why not now," said Jimmy. "Here we are facing unknown dangers together, practically in the dark, and I've only one match left, pelted with stones by the ghosts of desperate smugglers, lost in the depths of a cavern measureless to man. If you won't agree to marry me now, Beth, I don't see how you ever will. It's a priceless opportunity. In all the novels I've ever read the heroine's maidenly resistance invariably collapses in the hour of peril--far less peril than ours, generally only a lion or a painted savage, absolutely nothing to a vengeful ghost." "Jimmy, dear, don't be silly. I'm still a little frightened. Let's get out of this."