CHAPTER II. FIRST SIGHT OF THE SEA
CHAPTER III. THE WRECKERS' LAMP
CHAPTER IV. EXPLORING THE CAVE
CHAPTER V. EXPLORING THE OLD HOUSE
CHAPTER VI. AN AMAZING DISCOVERY
CHAPTER VII. DUKE'S BEACON
CHAPTER VIII. THE MYSTERY OF THE CAVE
CHAPTER IX. A WAY OUT
CHAPTER X. NOEL GUARDS THE SECRET
CHAPTER XI. NO COWARD AFTER ALL
THE WIZARD'S CAVE
CHAPTER I.
THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS.
THE coach rolled away from the door of Tudor Hall. The large
schoolroom, tenanted only by two small boys crouching close to one of
the windows, looked bare and grim.
It was raining so fast that they could not go into the playground.
The dusty roads and scorched gardens of the London suburb needed rain
badly, but what cared the boys for that? The downpour swelled the sense
of wrong which filled the bosom of the elder, Marmaduke (generally
known as Duke) Bryden, a well-grown boy of twelve, for this was
"breaking-up day," and these boys had seen their schoolmates depart
gleefully for home while they, having no home, were to spend their
holidays at the schoolhouse.
"It's a horrid shame," ejaculated Duke Bryden, not for the first
time—"a horrid shame! That's just what it is, and I don't care who
hears me say it!"
As there was no one save themselves in the large room, the boast seemed
unnecessary.
"It's not any good to say it," replied Noel, his brother, a slight,
fair boy about eighteen months younger. "It does not alter it; we've
gone through it before, and we know what it's like. Mrs. Tapson isn't
half bad when we're the only boys she has to look after. Do you
remember when we went to the sea?"
"Of course I remember it," Duke said. He had indeed a far clearer
recollection than Noel of the summer when their parents took them to
Deal, yet it was the younger boy who loved to brood over the vague,
sweet memory of joyous days.
Since then, through their father's untimely death, the boys' lives had
wholly changed. Their home was broken up and their mother obliged to
take a situation. A friend offered to pay for the boys' education. He
was a well-to-do man and kindly disposed towards the little fellows,
but he had a large family of his own, and his wife could not be
troubled with strange boys in the holidays.
The brothers had ceased to talk, and were moodily watching the steady
downfall of the rain, when the door opened and a stout, middle-aged
lady looked into the room. It was Mrs. Tapson, the matron who took
charge of the boys at Tudor Hall.
"Come away, boys," she said cheerily. "Tea is ready. You must be weary
of moping there by yourselves, and I am tired enough with turning out
drawers and packing boxes. I am thankful that breaking-up day does not
come often. It would not take many such days to break me up."
"She does not look as if she would break easily," Noel whispered
to Duke as they followed her along the passage which led to the
housekeeper's cosy room at the back of the house.
Duke's brow cleared as, on entering, his eyes fell on the dainty
tea-table. The sight of a dish of fine cherries and a home-made cake,
such as appeared on the school-table on Sundays only, afforded him
consolation.
The boys had enjoyed their tea and wore feeling in better spirits when
the heavy knock which announces the postman resounded through the
house. Noel ran to fetch the letters, and came back with an excited
air, for he had found amongst them a letter addressed to Mrs. Tapson in
his mother's handwriting.
"I guess it's to say that she's going to send us a box," he remarked to
his brother; "but why did she not write to us about it?"
"Here you are!" said Mrs. Tapson, who had opened the envelope. "There's
a letter for you inside. It's addressed to you both, so you cannot
quarrel over it."
Eagerly the boys took the folded sheet, and, both trying to open it at
once, tore it across ere they did so. Then, putting it together with
some difficulty, they read the following words:—
"Egloshayle, July 31st."
"MY DEAR DUKE AND NOEL,—It has pained me so to think that you would
have to remain at school while the other boys were enjoying themselves
at the seaside or in the country, that at last I screwed up my courage
and spoke to Mr. Torrington about it. He and his brother are going to
Switzerland for a month on account of Mr. Alan's health, which does not
improve. While they are away their rooms are to be thoroughly done up,
so I shall be busy looking after painters and whitewashers, yet I dared
to ask Mr. Torrington if he would mind two little boys coming here for
a fortnight."
"'Nothing venture nothing have' is a good old saying. I am thankful now
that I ventured, for Mr. Torrington took it better than I could have
expected. He does not like boys, and he looked frightened at first, but
ended by giving me permission to have you here for the whole of the
month he expects to be away. I had to promise that you would behave
very well and do no mischief in house or grounds. I am sure I can trust
you to make good this promise."
"I can fancy how you will look when you read this. You do not need to
be told what a joy it will be to your mother to have you here. You will
enjoy this lovely place and the beautiful wild Cornish coast."
"I am writing to Mrs. Tapson to tell her about the train and to ask her
kindly to see you off. Mr. Torrington and his brother leave on Saturday
morning, so I shall be ready to welcome you on that evening. Now do not
let yourselves get too excited on the journey and don't lean too far
out of the window and lose your hats. When you reach the station there
will be a coach waiting to bring you and your luggage on here. When the
coach draws up at the Golden Lion, near Egloshayle, you will see me.
Till then much love from—"
"Your mother,"
"ELIZABETH BRYDEN."
The boys were wild with delight at the news brought by the letter.
"Cornwall is ever so much better than Scotland," said Duke confidently,
"and I certainly would not change places with Jack and his girl
cousins."
"Is it as nice as Deal?" asked Noel.
"As nice!" repeated Duke scornfully. "Deal isn't a patch upon Cornwall.
Don't you remember hearing mother talk about the broad sands where we
can build castles, and the rocks and caves?"
"Caves!" echoed Noel. "Do they go a long way back, and are they dark
inside?"
"That's what we shall have to find out," said Duke. "Oh, I wish we had
known about it sooner, we might have saved up bits of candle."
"But I'm glad we've only to wait till Saturday," said Noel. "Only two
more days and then we shall be there! Isn't it scrumptious!"
"I wish I had known sooner," said Mrs. Tapson; "I'd have had all your
things nicely washed and mended. Your mother kindly says it does not
matter; but I like to send everything in order."
The boys could not see that this was of the least consequence. They
did not cease talking of Cornwall till, at a later hour than usual,
Mrs. Tapson sent them to bed, and then they carried the thought of that
beautiful county into their dreams.