“Take your time, sir,” said Andrew as he held the bottom of it, “and higher up, press your knee against the wall, thet’ll clear the staave above.”
When a third of the way up, I looked towards the inner part of the cave. Profound gloom shrouded it, though the lights still flickered on the walls; and the seals, as far as I could hear, had ceased their angry challenges. Having reached the adit, I held a torch over the chasm to light the Earthstopper in his ascent. When he was near the top of the ladder, I saw that his face was spattered with blood. My friend having also reached the adit, the ladder was hauled up and put into the sack, and we made our way again into the open air. Scarcely a word was said as we climbed the cliff and crossed the heather and stubble to the farmhouse. After a wash and a hurried supper, the Earthstopper attached his lantern to the saddle and rode down the track towards Gwithian Churchtown. I could hear him jogging along until he reached the place where the road lies under feet of driven sand. The black clouds had lifted a little, and Crobben Hill was dimly discernible against the stars.
“Pity we can’t have spoart without killin’,” were the Earthstopper’s words as we had stood near the dead seal, and I thought of them as I turned to go indoors.
CHAPTER XV REMINISCENCES OF BOYHOOD’S DAYS