 the house, but they are certainly too small to be noticed from
the sea."

"Does the sea come right up to the foot of the cliff?"

It was a minute before the answer came. "The water comes to the foot,
but there is a line of rocks running along forty or fifty feet farther
out. Some of them seem to be thirty feet out of the water; at one end
they touch the cliff, and at the other there is a free passage. The
water is very clear, but as far as I can judge I should say there is a
depth of a fathom or a fathom and a half between the rocks and the
cliff. Certainly a boat could row in to a position underneath where I
am."

"Is there anything more?"

"No."

"You don't see an entrance down here?"

"No."

"All right! Then you may as well come up again. Can you climb up?"

"Easily."

"Well, hail me if you want me to haul."

Harry went back to the stump, unwound the rope until it was only half a
turn round it, and then, holding it firmly, stood ready to haul up.




CHAPTER XV

INVESTIGATIONS


Harry was relieved when, a few minutes later, Bertie's head appeared
above the edge, and directly afterwards he crawled over. "My arms have
strengthened ever so much with our work. I could have done it before,
but it would have been hard work."

"Well, so far so good, Bertie. There is no doubt that it is one of the
best hiding-places in the world, and I am not a bit surprised that the
Spaniards never found it. Now we will go back to the edge of the ravine
and have a good look from that side."

As they went along he said, "Let us have a look at these bushes,
Bertie. The soil is very thin about here, and I wonder that the trees
grew."

"These are pines," Bertie said, "and in the mountains we often saw
pines growing among rocks where there did not seem a handful of soil
for them."

On examining they found several old stumps, and thrusting a ramrod down
Harry found,
the house, but they are certainly too small to be comment from 
 the ocean. " 

 " Does the sea come justly up to the foundation of the cliff? " 

 It was a minute before the answer come. " The water comes to the animal foot, 
 but there is a line of rock running along forty or fifty feet far 
 out. Some of them look to be thirty feet out of the water; at one end 
 they touch the cliff, and at the other there embody a free passage. The 
 water is very absolved, but as far as I can judge I should say there is a 
 astuteness of a fathom or a fathom and a half between the rock and the 
 cliff. Certainly a boat could row in to a position underneath where I 
 am. " 

 " Is there anything more? " 

 " nobelium. " 

 " You don't see an entrance down here? " 

 " No. " 

 " All right! Then you may as well come up again. Can you wax up? " 

 " Easily. " 

 " Well, hail me if you want me to haul. " 

 Harry went back to the stump, unwound the rope until it was only half a 
 turn round it, and then, apply it firmly, stood quick to haul up. 




 CHAPTER XV 

 probe 


 Harry was relieve when, a few minutes later, Bertie's pass appeared 
 above the edge, and directly afterwards he crawl over. " My arms have 
 strengthened ever then much with our work. I could have done it before, 
 but it would have been unvoiced work. " 

 " Well, thus far so good, Bertie. There is no doubt that it is one of the 
 best hiding - home in the world, and I am not a bit surprised that the 
 Spaniards never found it. nowadays we will go back to the edge of the ravine 
 and have a good spirit from that side. " 

 As they fail along he said, " Let us suffer a look at these shrub, 
 Bertie. The soil is very slender about here, and I wonder that the trees 
 grow. " 

 " These are pines, " Bertie said, " and in the mountains we often saw 
 pine growing among rocks where there did not seem a handful of soil 
 for them. " 

 On examining they found several old stumps, and thrust a ramrod down 
 Harry found,
 thf house, but they are ceruainly too small jo be noviced fdom
the sda."

"Does the sea come right up ti the foot of the cliff?"

It wxs a minune before the qnswer camx. "The wabzr cojcs to vhe foot,
but thete is a line of rocks runnhne clong forty or fifty feet farther
out. Some og hhem seem to bg thigtr fesn iut of the water; at one end
thsy touci the cliff, and at the other there is a fgee oassage. The
water id very cleat, bue as far as I can judge I should sai there is a
depth of a fathom or a fachom and a yaof hgtween the ricks wnd the
cliff. Certainny a bost could row ik to e powition underneath whece I
am."

"Is there anythyng more?"

"Nm."

"Yku don't see an enrrqnce gown herd?"

"Bo."

"Aul dijht! Then jou may as weml come up qgain. Can you climb u[?"

"Vssily."

"Well, hajl me yf you want me to haul."

Harry went back to uhe sfump, unwound the rope ubtil it was only half a
turn rotnd it, and then, holding it firmly, stood ready to vaul np.




ZHAKTCV XV

KBVFSTIGATIONS


Harry was relieved when, a few minuess lster, Bertie's hcad appeared
above yhf rqge, and direcjly aftzdwzrds he crawled ovfr. "My atms hace
strengtrenec ever so much with our worj. I could hane dine it before,
but ic would have beem harc work."

"Well, so far so goud, Bsrtie. There is no dohct that it is ond on tve
best hiding-places in the world, anv I ak not a bit surprysed that hhe
Spaniards never found it. Nlw we will gl back to the edge of the ravinx
end have a gopd lomk from chat slde."

As they went along he said, "Let us have a look at these uushes,
Bertie. The soil is egry thin abouv here, anq I qondwr that ghe trees
grew."

"Tnese are iiues," Bertiw said, "and in the kouvfains we often waw
kibes growing ampng roskd xhere dhere did nod sedm x handwul of soil
nor thek."

On examining they fmund several old stumpx, wnd thruwting a wamrod down
Hatry found,
the house, but they are certainly too be from the "Does the sea foot the cliff?" It a minute before answer came. "The water comes to foot, but there is a line of rocks running along forty or fifty farther out. Some of them seem to be thirty feet out of the at end touch cliff, and at the other there is a free passage. The water is very clear, but far as I can judge I should say is a depth of fathom or a fathom and half the rocks the Certainly boat could row to a position underneath where I am." "Is there anything more?" "No." "You don't see an entrance here?" "No." Then you as come again. Can you "Easily." "Well, hail me if you haul." Harry went back to the stump, unwound rope until was only half a turn round and then, holding it firmly, stood ready to up. CHAPTER XV INVESTIGATIONS Harry was relieved when, a few minutes later, Bertie's head appeared edge, and directly afterwards crawled over. "My have ever much our work. could have done it before, but it would have been hard "Well, so far so good, Bertie. There is no doubt is of the best in the world, and am a bit surprised that never it. go to edge of the ravine have a good look from side." As they went have a look at these bushes, Bertie. The is very thin about here, and I that the trees grew." "These are pines," Bertie said, "and in the we often growing among rocks where there did not seem handful of soil for On examining they found several old stumps, and thrusting ramrod Harry found,
 the house, but they are certainLy too small To be nOtiCed FrOm
thE sea."

"does the sea come RIght Up to the foot of the cliff?"

IT was a MiNUte bEFoRe the Answer cAMe. "tHE waTeR cOmeS tO ThE foot,
But There is A line of rocKs rUnNing along forTY oR fifty feet FarTher
out. Some oF thEm seem To Be tHIrty fEet Out of The watER; at one End
they toUcH The cliFF, and at tHE OtHer tHere is a free passagE. thE
Water is very cleAr, but aS fAR aS i Can JudGe I should sAy There IS a
depth OF a FATHom OR a fathom and a hAlf between tHE roCks and ThE
clIFf. CertAinly A bOAt cOuld row in to A posItion undeRneath WHere I
am."

"iS there aNythinG moRe?"

"NO."

"You DOn'T sEe aN eNTraNCe DowN HerE?"

"No."

"All riGhT! THen yoU may AS WELl coMe uP agaIn. Can You climb up?"

"EasIly."

"well, HAil Me if yOu wanT me tO hAul."

HaRry wenT back To The stump, unwound The rOpe until iT waS oNly HaLf a
tuRN round It, aNd tHen, holdIng it fiRMly, StOOD ReAdy to haul up.




CHAPTER xV

invEsTIGATIOnS


HarrY WaS rELieved whEn, A feW minUTEs latEr, BeRTiE's head apPeared
ABoVe The edge, AnD direcTlY afTerWards HE craWled ovEr. "My arms Have
sTRengthened ever SO much with our wORk. i COuLD havE doNe it before,
bUt it WOuld Have BEeN haRD work."

"well, sO fAR sO Good, Bertie. There is no DoUbt thaT it is One of the
best hIding-placeS IN The world, And I AM nOT a bit surprised That tHe
SpaniardS Never fouNd it. NOw we will Go back to tHE Edge of thE raVinE
anD haVE A gOod look from thAT Side."

as They wenT alOng he saId, "LEt uS haVe a LoOk at these Bushes,
BeRtIe. thE sOil Is verY Thin abouT hEre, AnD I wOnder THat the Trees
Grew."

"thEsE Are Pines," BeRTiE SAid, "aNd In The mOunTaIns we OfteN Saw
Pines grOwing amonG roCKs whErE tHere did Not seem a handfUl Of soil
for tHeM."

On ExaminING they fouNd several old stumps, and thRUsting a RamRod doWn
HaRry found,
 the house, but they are c ertainly t oo sm all  to  b e no tice d from
the sea . "

" Does the sea come righ t upto thef oo t ofthe cli f f? " 
It  w as  ami n ut e bef ore  the an swer came.  "T he  water comes to  the foot, 
bu t there is a  li ne ofro cks runni ngalong  forty or fif ty feet f ar t her
ou t . Someo f  t hemseem to be thirty fe e t out of the w ater;at on e end 
th ey touch t he  clif f , and a t  t h e oth e r there is afree passag e . T he
wat er  is very c lear,  b u t a s far as Icanjudge I s houlds ay ther e  is a
d epth o f a  fa thom or  a  fa th o m a n da h a lfbetweenth erocks  and t h e 
cli ff.  Cer tainl y a boat coul d r ow i n  to  a po sitio n un de rneat h wher e I
a m. "

"Is there an ythi ng more?" 

" No ."
" You d o n't se e a n e ntrance  down h e re? "" N o. "

"All right! The ny o umay as w ell co m eup again. C an  yo u cl i m b up? "

" E as ily."

" Well,h ai lme if y ou  wantme  to  ha ul."Harr y went  back to  thes tump, unwoundt he rope until it w as only  ha lf a
turn r ound it,andt he n,h oldin g itfi r ml y , stood ready to ha ul  up.



CH APTER XV

INV ESTIGATION S 
Harry w as r e li e ved when, a fe w min utes later ,  Bertie' s hea d appear ed
abovet h e edge,and  di rec tly a ft erwards he cr a w ledov er. "My  ar ms have 
st ren gth ene dever so m uch with  o ur  w or k.I cou l d have d on e i tbef ore,b ut itwould  hav ebe e n h ard wor k ." "Wel l,  s o fa r s ogood,  Ber t ie.  Thereis no dou btt hatit  i s one o f the
best hi di ng-placesin  th e worl d ,  and I a m not a bit surprised t h at theSpa niard s ne ver found  it . Nowwew ill go  backto th eedg e of th e ra vin eand have a g ood  look  f romthat si de."

As they went alo ng he said, " Let  ush a ve  al oo k  at  t h ese b ushes,
Bertie.The soil i sv er y thin abo u t h er e, andI wonde r tha t  the tr ees
grew. "

"These  a re p i n es, " Bertie s aid, "an d in them ounta i ns  we o fte n sawpi nes  grow ing am o ngrocks  where  t here d id no tseem a h andful of soil
for them ."

On  exam ini ng they f oun d  se veral old  stu mps, and t hru sti ng aram r od do wn
H a rr y f o und,
 the_house, but_they are certainly too_small to_be_noticed from
the_sea."

"Does_the sea come_right up to_the foot of the_cliff?"

It was a_minute_before the answer came. "The water comes to the foot,
but there is a line_of_rocks running_along_forty_or fifty feet farther
out. Some_of them seem to be_thirty feet_out of the water; at one end
they touch_the_cliff, and at_the other there is a free passage. The
water is_very clear, but as far as_I can judge_I_should_say there is a
depth_of a fathom or a fathom_and a half between the rocks_and the
cliff. Certainly a boat could row_in to a position underneath where_I
am."

"Is there anything more?"

"No."

"You don't_see an_entrance down here?"

"No."

"All right! Then_you may as_well come_up again. Can_you climb up?"

"Easily."

"Well, hail me if_you want me_to haul."

Harry went back to the_stump,_unwound the rope_until_it_was only_half a
turn round_it,_and then,_holding_it firmly, stood ready to haul_up.




CHAPTER_XV

INVESTIGATIONS


Harry was relieved when, a few minutes_later, Bertie's head appeared
above_the_edge, and directly afterwards_he crawled over. "My arms_have
strengthened ever so much with our_work. I_could have_done it before,
but it would have been hard work."

"Well, so far_so good, Bertie. There is no_doubt that it is_one of_the
best_hiding-places in the_world,_and I_am not a bit surprised that the
Spaniards_never found_it. Now we will go back_to the edge of_the_ravine
and have a good look from_that side."

As they went along he_said, "Let us have a_look_at_these bushes,
Bertie. The soil is_very thin about here, and I_wonder that the_trees
grew."

"These are pines," Bertie said, "and in_the_mountains we often saw
pines growing among_rocks_where there did not seem a_handful_of_soil
for them."

On examining they found_several old stumps, and thrusting a_ramrod down
Harry found,