CHAPTER XII

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!"