We know there's water at the bottom , said Cyrus. It's about a hundred feet down. We want a rope about 200 feet long.
I'll go to down first, said Pencroft. When i want something i'll shout.
He climbed easily and quickly down the rope. He took a branch some matches and his knife with him.
After some minutes he shouted up.
I'm on a shelf of rock next to the water. I can't see very well. But i think i'm in another great big cave. and i think there's water everywhere down here.
Nab came down next. he brought a light too.
Nab and Pencroft looked round them. the others climbed down.
look said Pencroft a boat!
It was under a shelf of rock. When Cyrus saw it, he said, we can all get in there. i think somebody left it here for us. Follow me.
now where? asked Spillet, when they were all sitting in the little boat.
i don't know ,said Cyrus. Is anybody there? he shouted.
His words flew round the cave and came back to them.
Suddenly a white light lit the cave. it shone across the water. The cave was very big - bigger than their cave house above. and the light? it was very mysterious. the light came from something in the water in the middle of the cave. it was about 250 feet long.
Half of it was above the water and half was below the water. the part above the water was about twelve feet high.
what is it? is it a ship? asked Herbert quietly. he was afraid.
Cyrus Smith stood up in the little boat and looked hard at the thing in front of them. Suddenly he took Spillet's arm.
It's him, he said quietly in Spillet's ear. and he said aname.
Gideon Spillet's eyes opened wide. him! he said but isn't he dead?