“Ay,” exclaimed Spink, with something of a sneer, “an” d’ye think I’ll pairt without a diveesion o’ the siller tea-pats and things that ye daurna sell for fear o’ bein’ fund out?”

“I wonder ye dinna claim half o’ the jewels and things as weel,” retorted Swankie; “ye hae mair right to them, seein’ ye had a hand in findin’ them.”

“Me a hand in findin’ them,” exclaimed Spink, with sudden indignation.  “Was it me that fand the deed body o’ the auld man on the Bell Rock?  Na, na, freend.  I hae naething to do wi’ deed men’s jewels.”

“Have ye no?” retorted the other.  “It’s strange, then, that ye should entertain such sma’ objections to deed men’s siller.”  “Weel-a-weel, Swankie, the less we say on thae matters the better.  Here, tak’ hand o’ the tither keg.”

The conversation ceased at this stage abruptly.  Evidently each had touched on the other’s weak point, so both tacitly agreed to drop the subject.

Presently Big Swankie took out a flint and steel, and proceeded to strike a light.  It was some some time before the tinder would catch.  At each stroke of the steel a shower of brilliant sparks lit up his countenance for an instant, and this momentary glance showed that its expression was not prepossessing by any means.

Ruby drew Minnie farther into the recess which concealed them, and awaited the result with some anxiety, for he felt that the amount of knowledge with which he had become possessed thus unintentionally, small though it was, was sufficient to justify the smugglers in regarding him as a dangerous enemy.

He had scarcely drawn himself quite within the shadow of the recess, when Swankie succeeded in kindling a torch, which filled the cavern with a lurid light, and revealed its various forms, rendering it, if possible, more mysterious and unearthly than ever.

“Here, Spink,” cried Swankie, who was gradually getting into better humour, “haud the light, and gie me the spade.”

“Ye better put them behind the rock, far in,” suggested Spink.

The other seemed to entertain this idea for a moment, for he raised the torch above his head, and, advancing into the cave, carefully examined the rocks at the inner end.

Step by step he drew near to the place where Ruby and Minnie were concealed, muttering to himself, as he looked at each spot that might possibly suit his purpose, “Na, na, the waves wad wash the kegs oot o’ that if it cam’ on to blaw.”

He made another step forward, and the light fell almost on the head of Ruby, who felt Minnie’s arm tremble.  He clenched his hands with that feeling of resolve that comes over a man when he has made up his mind to fight.

Just then an exclamation of surprise escaped from his comrade.

“Losh! man, what have we here?” he cried, picking up a small object that glittered in the light.

Minnie’s heart sank, for she could see that the thing was a small brooch which she was in the habit of wearing in her neckerchief, and which must have been detached when Ruby carried her into the cave.