In another moment Jack's head rose to the surface, and he gave a wild shout, flinging back the spray from his locks, as was his wont after a dive.Now we were almost as much amazed at seeing him re-appear, well and strong, as we had been at first at his non-appearance; for, to the best of our judgment, he had been nearly ten minutes under water, perhaps longer, and it required no exertion of our reason to convince us that this was utterly impossible for mortal man to do and retain his strength and faculties.It was therefore with a feeling akin to superstitious awe that I held down my hand and assisted him to clamber up the steep rocks.But no such feeling affected Peterkin.No sooner did Jack gain the rocks and seat himself on one, panting for breath, than he threw his arms round his neck, and burst into a flood of tears."Oh, Jack, Jack!" said he, "where were you? What kept you so long?"After a few moments Peterkin became composed enough to sit still and listen to Jack's explanation, although he could not restrain himself from attempting to wink every two minutes at me, in order to express his joy at Jack's safety.I say he attempted to wink, but I am bound to add that he did not succeed, for his eyes were so much swollen with weeping, that his frequent attempts only resulted in a series of violent and altogether idiotical contortions of the face, that were very far from expressing what he intended.
However, I knew what the poor fellow meant by it, so I smiled to him in return, and endeavoured to make believe that he was winking.
"Now, lads," said Jack, when we were composed enough to listen to him, "yon green object is not a shark; it is a stream of light issuing from a cave in the rocks.Just after I made my dive, Iobserved that this light came from the side of the rock above which we are now sitting; so I struck out for it, and saw an opening into some place or other that appeared to be luminous within.For one instant I paused to think whether I ought to venture.Then I made up my mind, and dashed into it.For you see, Peterkin, although Itake some time to tell this, it happened in the space of a few seconds, so that I knew I had wind enough in me to serve to bring me out o' the hole and up to the surface again.Well, I was just on the point of turning, - for I began to feel a little uncomfortable in such a place, - when it seemed to me as if there was a faint light right above me.I darted upwards, and found my head out of water.This relieved me greatly, for I now felt that Icould take in air enough to enable me to return the way I came.
Then it all at once occurred to me that I might not be able to find the way out again; but, on glancing downwards, my mind was put quite at rest by seeing the green light below me streaming into the cave, just like the light that we had seen streaming out of it, only what I now saw was much brighter.
"At first I could scarcely see anything as I gazed around me, it was so dark; but gradually my eyes became accustomed to it, and Ifound that I was in a huge cave, part of the walls of which Iobserved on each side of me.The ceiling just above me was also visible, and I fancied that I could perceive beautiful glittering objects there, but the farther end of the cave was shrouded in darkness.While I was looking around me in great wonder, it came into my head that you two would think I was drowned; so I plunged down through the passage again in a great hurry, rose to the surface, and - here I am!"When Jack concluded his recital of what he had seen in this remarkable cave, I could not rest satisfied till I had dived down to see it; which I did, but found it so dark, as Jack had said, that I could scarcely see anything.When I returned, we had a long conversation about it, during which I observed that Peterkin had a most lugubrious expression on his countenance.
"What's the matter, Peterkin?" said I.
"The matter?" he replied."It's all very well for you two to be talking away like mermaids about the wonders of this cave, but you know I must be content to hear about it, while you are enjoying yourselves down there like mad dolphins.It's really too bad.""I'm very sorry for you, Peterkin, indeed I am," said Jack, "but we cannot help you.If you would only learn to dive - ""Learn to fly, you might as well say!" retorted Peterkin, in a very sulky tone.
