DELIVERANCE
AND what of the children, of whom no trace save the floating picture
could be found? Had the cruel sea indeed borne them away in its
winding-sheet to sleep beneath its waves, leaving a darkened house and
a desolate heart to mourn their loss?
It seemed to the terrified children that such must be their fate, as
they watched the hungry waves coming each minute closer to the corner
where they crouched.
Beryl had ceased to cry, and was trying to bring all the force of her
mind to bear upon the contrivance of some plan of escape. The only idea
which occurred to her was that she should have recourse to swimming,
and try to get to land in time to secure succour for Coral ere it was
too late.
But when she looked at the rough waves, battling together as they
forced their way into the cave, and remembered at what a distant
part of the beach the cave was situated, and how far she would have
to swim before she could find a landing-place, Beryl's heart failed
her. She felt that her childish strength would be no match for the
pitiless might of the sea's opposing current. Yet she would have made
the attempt, hazardous though it seemed, had Coral wished it; but her
little adopted sister cried out in terror at the mere suggestion of
Beryl's leaving her.
"Oh, Beryl, do not leave me; please do not leave me!" she cried; "I
dare not stay alone in this dreadful place. Let us keep together,
whatever happens. If we must be drowned, let us hold each other
tightly, and then, perhaps, it will not seem quite so bad."
The children clung to each other as the waves washed over their feet.
How awful seemed the death which threatened them in that gloomy place!
How many persons at Egloshayle would have hurried to their rescue,
had they known of their peril! But here, beneath the rock, shut in by
the relentless waves, they were out of sight and sound of every human
being, and Beryl felt sure that no one would know of their danger till
it was too late to help them.
Her heart sank within her as she thought of her father. Ah, if he, far
away in London, could have known what was his child's position at that
hour! But he would know nothing till they told him she was dead.
Beryl leaned against the rock and sobbed alone, as she thought of what
her father's anguish would be, when he heard that his little daughter
was drowned.
Then she remembered that though no human friend knew of their danger,
a Father's eye was upon them, a Father's ear could hear their cry for
help. She recalled the words Mr. Gilbank had spoken concerning the
"Father-King, all-mighty and all-loving."
"Coral!" she exclaimed, hope ringing in her voice. "Let us pray to God.
We ought to have thought of that before. He can help us, if no one else
can."
"Do you think He really can?" asked Coral sceptically, as with
frightened eyes she watched the progress of the waves.
[Illustration: "IF WE MUST BE DROWNED, LET US HOLD EACH OTHER TIGHTLY."]
"Why, Coral, of course He can," returned Beryl. "Don't you remember how
He saved Daniel in the lions' den, and Moses when he was left by the
side of the river in the ark of bulrushes? And oh! Don't you know the
story Mr. Gilbank told us of how God made a path right through the Red
Sea for the Israelites to walk over? I'm sure if He did that, He can
save you and me from being drowned."
"But what will He do?" asked Coral anxiously. "Will He make the waves
go back?"
"I can't tell what He will do," said Beryl; "but I know He can save us
if He will. And if He means us to die," she added, her voice suddenly
faltering, "let us ask Him to make us good, and take us to heaven, for
Jesus Christ's sake."
And so Beryl prayed in simple, childish words, coming from a heart
strong in faith; and Coral tried to follow, but could not attend for
her terror of the quickly advancing waves.
The water was already high about the children, a little longer, and it
would sweep them away to death. As Beryl ended her prayer, her eyes
fell upon the ledge of rock above her head, and the dark hole which she
had fancied would make a convenient cupboard. The thought struck her
that if they could climb to that, they would be for a time above the
reach of the waves.
"Coral," she said, pointing out the place to her, "try if you can climb
up there. Put your foot on my knee, and then catch hold of the seaweed,
and draw yourself up. There, that's right; now are you safe?"
Yes, Coral was securely placed on the shelf of rock, and with some
difficulty, Beryl managed to scramble up beside her.
Their courage rose on finding themselves a foot or two above the water,
though Beryl felt pretty sure that it was only a temporary respite,
and that ere the tide turned the waves would sweep over them where
they sat. It was dull and melancholy work, sitting still to watch the
rising of the water, and Beryl presently crawled along the ledge till
she reached the hole which had before attracted her attention. It was a
much larger opening than it had appeared from below.
The hollow seemed to extend a long way back, for stooping down and
peering into it, Beryl could see light coming through, as if from an
opening at a considerable distance.
Crouching down close to the rock, Beryl found that the aperture was
just wide enough to admit of her crawling through, and having passed
the entrance, she found herself in a larger place, a kind of natural
tunnel, leading she knew not whither.
Feeling that she had made a great discovery, Beryl crawled back the way
she had come, and called to Coral to follow her. Coral, being smaller,
made her entrance even more easily than Beryl had done, but she was
awestruck at the gloom of the place into which Beryl introduced her.
The rocky passage would have been in utter darkness but for the faint,
weird gleams of light which stole in at either entrance. The walls were
so low that the children were obliged to bend their heads, as they
groped their way along; a grown-up person would have been obliged to
creep on all fours. The tunnel seemed to run through the rock for a
great distance, and as they stumbled along, for the path was rough and
uneven, Coral grew frightened and footsore, and began to cry and beg
that they might go back.
But Beryl, who thought that this passage promised them deliverance from
the threatening waves, was resolute in urging her forward, and soon, as
they pressed on, the light before grew larger and clearer, and Coral
no longer wished to return to the sea-washed cave. On they went, till
daylight shone bright and beautiful before them, and they saw green
leaves waving against the opening, and caught the gleam of a gull's
wing as with a shrill cry of dismay the bird fled from the strange
intruders who had invaded its sanctuary.
Beryl stepped very cautiously through the narrow doorway, half-hidden
by low shrubs and coarse grass, and it was well that she was thus
careful, for the tunnel ended on a tiny path in the face of the cliff,
scarce a foot in width, below which the rock shelved off precipitately.
Beryl had not been conscious of ascending as she made her way through
the rough rocky passage, but now she saw to her satisfaction that the
sea was far below them. To her surprise, also, she perceived that
they had come through the heart of the rock to the other side of the
cliff, into which the cave penetrated, and were looking down on the
little cove where David Gilbank had been accustomed to meet his band
of learners on Sunday afternoons. The narrow path on which she stood
led by sharp zigzags to the beach, and it would be a comparatively easy
matter to descend, when the waves had receded from the cove.
"Oh, Coral!" cried Beryl, as she clasped her hands in joy and
thankfulness. "We are safe! The waves cannot reach us here; we have
only to wait till the tide turns, and then we shall be able to go home."
How intense was the feeling of relief felt by these children, as they
realised their deliverance from the peril which had seemed so near
and awful. Tears came more readily than words at such a moment, and
clinging together they kissed each other fondly, and cried as only
children can cry.
But this violent emotion was soon exhausted, and as they sat in the
shelter of the rock they began to talk over what had happened, and
tried to imagine how Lucy would regard their long absence from home.
"I expect she will be very angry," said Coral; "and oh, Beryl, I am
afraid she will never let us keep Sunday school on the beach again."
"We must try to find a safer place," said Beryl thoughtfully. "That
old cave was not very nice, and now I feel as if I never wanted to see
it again. Coral, have you thought how God has heard our prayer? He
has saved us, although He did not make the waves go back. Was it not
strange that I never noticed that hole at the back of the cave until
to-day?"
"Yes," said Coral; "but what a nasty, dark place it was. I was so
frightened till I saw the light at the other end. And oh, Beryl, look
at my boots!"
"Never mind about boots," said Beryl, surveying her own cut and soaked
shoes with the utmost indifference. "I shall be glad enough to take
mine off, though, for my stockings feel as if they had stuck to my
feet. I wish the tide would make haste and go down."
"Will it be very long now, do you think?" asked Coral.
"Another hour, I dare say," said Beryl, as she peered down at the water
below. "I say, Coral, what a good thing it is that papa is not at home!
He would have been so frightened about us."
It seemed a long time to the children ere the tide receded. They
watched the sun sink to rest, curtained by crimson and purple clouds,
and not till the glow was beginning to fade from the summer sky were
they able to descend from their lofty crag, and make their way across
the wet, slippery stones to the stile, which commanded the nearest
route home.
Beryl started in sudden fear, as she saw a dark figure leaning against
the stile. What was her amazement when the figure turned towards her,
and she saw that it was her father!
He had wandered there to look for her, though in his anguish, he
believed all search would be vain, unless, indeed, it should reveal the
dead body of his child. One moment he had been in utter despair, the
next he heard a light step on the stones, and turning, saw Beryl by his
side.
A cry of almost incredulous joy broke from his lips,—
"Oh, Beryl, my darling! Is it you?" he exclaimed. "Where have you been
all this long time? Ah, if you knew what your absence has caused me to
suffer! Thank God, I see you safe and sound, my precious one!"