the most approved fashion.

In less than the prescribed half-hour they reached the entrance to
the great cave.

They were safe. A hollow, booming noise greeted them as they came
close. Andy bent forward and gave Nora a brief direction.

"Ship your oars now, miss. Aisy now; aisy now. Now, then, I'll take
one pull; pull your left oar again. Now, here we are."

He spoke with animation. Nora obeyed him implicitly. They entered the
shadow of the cave, and the next instant found themselves in complete
darkness. The boat bobbed up and down on the restless water, and just
at that instant a flash of vivid lightning illuminated all the outside
water, followed by a crashing roar of thunder.

"The storm is on us; but, thank the Almighty, we're safe," said
Mike, with a little sob. "I wish to goodness we hadn't come, all the
same."

"And so do I," said Biddy; "it is perfectly awful being in a cave
like this. What shall we do?"

"Do!" said Neil. "Hould your tongues and stay aisy. Faix, it's the
Almighty is having a bit of a talk; you stay quiet and listen."

The four oars were shipped now, and the boat swayed restlessly up
and down.