at a great rate; but as soon as they were out of sight behind the
hedge I buckled my satchel to my shoulders and started running to warn
Marah. It was all downhill to the brook, and I knew that I should find
Marah there,--for he had said that he was coming earlier than usual
that afternoon to finish off a model boat which we were to sail after
tea. I ran as I had never run before--I thought my heart would thump
itself to pieces; but at last I got to the valley and saw Marah
crossing the brook by the causeway. I shouted to him then and he heard
me. I had not breath to call again, so I waved to him to come and then
collapsed, panting, for I had run a good mile across country. He
walked towards me slowly, almost carelessly; but I saw that he was
puzzled by my distress, and wondered what the matter was.

"What is it?" he asked. "What's the rally for?"

"Oh," I cried, "the coastguards--over at Black Pool."

"Yes," he said carelessly, "what about _them?_"

"They've discovered it," I cried. "The cave under the
cliff-top. They've discovered it."

His face did not change; he looked at me rather hard; and then asked
me, quite carelessly, what I had seen.

"Two coastguards," I answered. "Two coastguards. In the furze. They
were listening to people somewhere below them."

"Yes," he said, still carelessly, "over at Black Pool? I suppose they
recognized you?"