Fire Island, by George Manville Fenn. 

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This is good vintage Fenn, with dreadful situation following dreadfulsituation, and the heroes (mostly) managing to get out of it somehow. Right up to the last chapter the reader never knows how the problemsthat throw themselves upon a little group of naturalists and the sailorsthat brought them to the island on which all these frightening eventsoccur, will be solved. NH

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FIRE ISLAND, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. 

CHAPTER ONE. 

WILD TIMES. 

"Do I think it would be wise to put on a life-belt, Mr Lane?"

"Yes. "

The words were shouted into the ear of one of the speakers, and yelledback as, like others about the vessel, they clung to the side, now to beraised high, now to be plunged down again, as the _Planet_, with only arag or two of storm canvas set, rode over a huge wave and seemed as ifturned into some new and ponderous kind of diving apparatus about toseek the wonders at the bottom of the eastern seas. But after hertremendous plunge right into a hollow she rose again, shook off thewater which deluged the deck and staggered on. 

Just then a dimly seen figure sidled up to the two speakers, held ontightly, and shouted--

"I say, Mr Rimmer, isn't that man steering very wildly?"

"Who's to steer tamely, sir, in a sea like this? Man has enough to doto keep from being washed overboard. "

The newcomer nodded and took a fresh grip of the top of the bulwark as asea came over the bows again, and swept along the deck, leaving thembreathless and panting, with the water streaming from oilskin andmackintosh. 

"Don't you want to put on a life-belt, too?" shouted the first speaker, as in the darkness of that terrible night his words seemed to besnatched away as soon as uttered. 

"Yes; it would be safer; where are they?"

"Bah! Nonsense! Look down there. Suppose you had on a life-belt, whatcould you do in such a sea? You'd both be knocked to pieces or have thebreath choked out of you in five minutes. Stick to the ship while youcan. That's good advice. "

"Is there any danger?" shouted the young man who was nearest the lastspeaker. 

"Of course there is. No one could be in such a tornado without being indanger. "

"But shall we be wrecked?" asked the fresh-comer. 

"Heaven only knows, sir. We're all amongst the islands and reefs, andif one of them is in our way nothing can save us. "

No words were spoken then for some time, and every man on board the_Planet_ brig, which after a short stay at Singapore was off on a voyageof discovery along the coast of New Guinea, clung to bulwark, shroud andstay, or sheltered himself the best way he could from the waves which, like the wind, seemed ready to pluck them from their hold. 

Everything possible in the way of navigation had been done when thefrightful storm came on, after scant warning in the way of a fallingbarometer. Then nothing was left for the unfortunates on board but tohold on and wait for the end of the hurricane as they were swept alongswiftly in its course. 

Three days before, they had been sailing gently within sight of thetowering volcanoes of Java. Now, as Mr Rimmer, the chief mate, said, they were "anywhere, " the wind having veered round as if blowing in avast circle, and all government of the brig being pretty well at an end. 

Matters had been bad enough while it was daylight. When darkness cameon the little hope which had remained was pretty well quenched; andOliver Lane began to think of the home in England that he might neversee again, and of how different the reality of the expedition was fromall that he had pictured in his rather vivid imagination. 

When the trip was planned, and he obtained permission to join it throughthe influence of his father, a famous naturalist, he saw himself sailingamid glorious islands, with gorgeous tropical foliage hanging over seasof intense blue, glittering like precious stones in the burningsunshine; coral reefs seen through transparent water with their grovesof wondrous seaweeds, and fish of brilliant tints flashing their scalearmour as they swam here and there. Then, too, his thoughts had runriot over the shore trips among lands where the birds were dazzling incolour, and the insects painted by nature's hand with hues impossible todescribe; but, instead of these delights to one of eager temperament, they had encountered this fearful storm. The captain and man after manhad been disabled, and for the rest as they tore onward through thespray, mist and darkness, grim death seemed to be just ahead, for atouch upon one of the many reefs which studded those seas meant instantdestruction, since no boat could have been lowered to live. 

"Never say die, " shouted Ezra Rimmer, the mate, in his ear. "We mayride it out. "

Oliver Lane made no reply. He was half stunned by the deafening roar, and his mind after the many hours of suffering had grown confused; butas the last comer twisted a line about his waist and secured it to thebelaying-pins close at hand, the mate went on shouting a few words fromtime to time as he tried to make out their unfortunate companions. 

"These storms end suddenly, " he shouted. "Don't understand 'em--electricity or something to do with the volcanoes. Keep a stout heart, sir. If we do have to die, I don't think it will be very bad. Holdtight whatever you do. As aforesaid, `Never say die. '"

Oliver Lane turned his head to him and tried to make out the expressionon the face of a man who could speak so coolly about death. But it wastoo dark, and turning back to the companion who had joined them, hereached his arm farther round the shroud he was clinging to and touchedhim. 

The young man raised his drooping head. 

"Where's Drew?" shouted Oliver Lane; but the wind bore away his words, and he yelled out his question again. 

"Cabin!" came back in a temporary cessation of the turmoil of roaringwind, hissing spray, and creaking and groaning of the vessel's timbers. 

Oliver Lane tried to ask another question, but the wind caught him fullin the face with such force that for a few moments he could only gaspand try to recover his breath, while directly after the vessel gave sotremendous a pitch and roll, he was jerked from his footing and hung byhis hands with the sensation of having his arms jerked from theirsockets. 

But the young Englishman had been engaged in similar struggles forhours, and recovering himself he shouted, "Panton?"

"Hullo!"

"Is Drew hurt?"

"Yes. So am I. "

"So we are all, Mr Panton, " yelled the mate. "If we get through thiswe shall all be covered with bruises, let alone broken ribs and otherbones--Yah!--Hold on. "

The advice was not needed, for the two young men with him had suddenlyseen something grey loom up in front, and taught by experience that itwas a mass of foaming water, they clung for dear life, shelteringthemselves as well as they could beneath the bulwark as the wave curledover and thundered along the deck with a hideous crashing din thatliterally stunned them. When it had passed over Oliver Lane shook hishead and tried with his smarting eyes to get rid of the water and makeout whether his companions were safe. 

To his horror Arthur Panton was hanging from the belaying pin to whichhe had lashed himself, with his head down and his hands close to hisfeet, apparently lifeless, while the mate was gone. 

It is good medicine for the mind to see others in peril, for it rousesto action the best feelings in our nature and subdues the love of self. 

In an instant Oliver had forgotten his own sufferings, and, holding onby one hand, he tried to raise his companion to his old position, butfor a few moments in vain. Then the reaction came, and the young manmade a brave effort to assist, and soon after he was upright andclinging with his arms over the bulwark, gasping heavily to recover hisbreath. 

Oliver Lane's next movement was to help the mate, whom he could dimlysee lying across the deck half buried and wedged in amongst ropes, gratings, and the smashed-up wreck of one of the boats, which had beentorn from the davits by the weight of the water. 

He had to crawl to him, and then dragged away a great tangle of rope andseveral pieces of broken woodwork before the mate moved. Then he beganto struggle, dragged himself out by the help of Oliver Lane's hands, andcrawled back with him to the side, where he crouched down under thebulwark. 

"Nice lark this, sir, " he groaned. 

"Much hurt?" shouted Oliver Lane. 

"Tidy, " came back. "Don't know yet, sir. Hah! Don't think I couldstand much more of it, nor the old _Planet_, neither. "

These words were uttered during a temporary lull. Then the wind camealong with a fiercer rush than ever, bearing with it a perfect deluge ofspray in great stinging, blinding drops torn from the surface of thewaves, and forcing all on board to shelter their faces from itsviolence. 

There was no more possibility of making one another heard for thefurious blast. Every nerve and muscle had to be devoted to the task ofholding on, and in this way hour after hour of that awful night slowlypassed away till one and all of the crew strained their eyes, thoughvainly, for the coming of the day. 

"At last!" shouted the mate. 

Oliver Lane looked up in his direction, so thoroughly exhausted and weakthat he could not comprehend the meaning of his companion's words. Thenby slow degrees he began to realise that the wind was falling fast, though the vessel was labouring as much as ever. 

Then he managed to grasp the fact that it was some time since the deckhad been flooded by a wave, and with a faint gleam of hope crossing thedarkness which had enshrouded them, he said with an effort--

"Lulling a little?"

"Lulling?" cried the mate. "You couldn't have talked to me like that acouple of hours ago. "

"Then we have escaped?"

"I don't know yet. All that I know is that we are getting through thestorm, and the sooner it is daylight the better I shall be pleased. "

Some hours passed. The wind had died out and the sea was rapidly goingdown, but a strange feeling of uneasiness had come upon the occupants ofthe little vessel. Visit after visit had been paid to the cabins, andthe watches which had been consulted and doubted were now acknowledgedto be trusty and truth-telling, for the chronometers supported theirevidence and announced that it was well on toward noon of the next day. Though to all appearance it was midnight of the blackest, dense cloudsshutting out the sky, while the long-continued darkness had a singularlydepressing effect upon men worn out by their struggle with the storm. 

Arthur Panton, the mineralogist of the little expedition, had prettywell recovered from the battering he had received, and he at once gavehis opinion as to the cause of the darkness. 

"I cannot speak learnedly upon the subject, " he said, "but theseterrible storms, as Mr Rimmer says, do appear to be somehow connectedwith electric disturbances, and often enough these latter seem to berelated to volcanic eruptions. "

"And you think there is a volcanic eruption somewhere near?" asked Lane. 

"I do not say somewhere near, for the wind may have brought this denseblackness from hundreds of miles distant but certainly I should say thatone of the many volcanoes in this region is in eruption. "

"If it were, sir, we should be having fine ashes coming down upon us, "said the mate, gruffly, "and--"

"What's that?" cried Panton, holding up his hand. 

"Thunder, " said the mate, as a deep, apparently distant concussion washeard. 

"No, the explosion from some crater, " said Panton. "Hark!"

Another deep muttering report was heard, and soon after another andanother. 

"Only a bad thunderstorm, " cried the mate. "There, let's go and getsome food, gentlemen, and see how our friends are. I daresay we shallbe having a deluge of rain before long, and then the sun will come outand I can take an observation. "

He led the way to the cabin, where the steward had prepared a meal andretrimmed the lamps, going about with a scared look on his countenance, and turning his eyes appealingly from one to the other as thethunderlike reports kept on; but, getting no sympathy from those to whomhe appealed silently, for they were as nervous as himself, he sought hisopportunity and, following Oliver Lane into a corner, he began, --

"Oh, sir, the destruction's awful. "

"But the ship is sound yet, and making no water. "

"I mean my china and glass, sir, " said the man, "I shan't have a wholething left. "

"Never mind that if our lives are saved. "

"No, sir, I don't; but will they be saved?"

"Oh, yes, I hope so. "

"But it's so dark, sir. Oh, why did I leave London with its safety andits gas? Why am I here, sir? I want to know why I am here?"

"Because you were not a coward, " said Lane. 

"Eh? You're not joking me, sir. "

"No, I am serious. "

"Then thank you, sir. You're quite right. That's it, I'm not a coward, and I won't say another word. "

The man nodded and smiled and went about his work, while Lane turned toa young man of seven or eight and twenty, who sat evidently sufferingand looking pale and strange in the sickly light. 

"I say, Lane, " he said, "is this the end of the world?"

"Not to-day, Mr Drew, " cried the mate: "Is no end to the world, it'sround. "

"To-day! It's noon, and as black as night. "

"Mr Rimmer thinks we are going to have a tremendous rain storm now, "said Oliver Lane, wincing with pain as he sat down. 

"Then it is going to be a rain of black ink. "

"Oh, no, sir, heavy thunderstorm and then the light will come. Theclouds look almost solid. "

"But surely that cannot be thunder, " cried Oliver Lane, excitedly. "Hark!"

"No need to, sir, " said the mate, smiling. "It makes itself heardplainly enough. By George!"

He sprang from the table and hurried out on deck, for a roar like thatof some terrific explosion close at hand was heard, and Lane and Pantonfollowed, expecting to see the lurid light of a fire or the flash oflightning forerunning the next roar. 

But all was blacker than ever, and the sailing lights and a ship'slantern or two swung to and fro as the vessel rose and fell on theunquiet sea. 

"What do you make of it, Smith?" cried the mate to one of the watch. 

"Can't make nothing on it at all, sir, " said the man, taking off his capand scratching his head, while his face, like those of his companions'had a peculiar scared aspect. "'Tar'nt like a thunderstorm, cause therear'n't a drop o' lightning. "

"_Bit_, matey, " said one of the man's comrades. 

"Get out, " growled the first man, "how can it be a bit, Billy Wriggs, when yer can't touch it? I said a drop and I mean it. "

"Don't argue, " said the mate, sharply. "Do you mean to say, all of you, that you saw no flash?"

"Not a sign o' none, sir, " said the first man. "There?"

Another fearful detonation came with startling violence to their ears, and as they stood upon the deck the report seemed to jar them all in adull, heavy way. 

"Warn't no flash o' lightning there, sir. "

"No, I saw no flash, " said Oliver Lane, uneasily. 

"No, there aren't been none, sir. Lightning allus flickers and blinkslike, 'fore you hear any thunder at all. "

"These dense black clouds might hide the flashes, " said Lane. 

"No, " said Panton. "I should say that a flash of lightning would passthrough any cloud. I don't think it's thunder. "

"What, then, a naval action going on?"

"No war, " said the mate, "it must be thunder. "

Another detonation, louder than any they had heard before, made the shipliterally quiver, and the men pressed together and turned their startledfaces towards the mate as if for help and protection. 

"World's coming to a hend, " muttered one of the men. 

"If I was skipper here, " said another, "I'd just 'bout ship and run forit. "

"Where to?" said Wriggs. 

"Can't run your ship out o' the world, matey, " grumbled the first sailorwho had spoken, while the mate and the cabin passengers stood gazing inthe direction from which the detonations seemed to come, and tried topierce the dense blackness ahead. "Sims to me as there's somethingwrong in the works somewhere. I never see anything like this afore. "

"Nor you can't see nothing like it behind, matey, " said Wriggs. "It'slike playing at Blind Man's Buff shut up in a water tank. "

Another awful roar, ten times as deafening as that of the loudest pealof thunder, now struck them heavily--short, quick--sudden, but there wasno echoing reverberation or rolling sound as with thunder, and nowconvinced that it could not be the effects of a thunderstorm, the mateturned to his companion, and said, --

"It's a big volcano hard at it somewhere, gentlemen, and these are notrain clouds shutting us in, but smoke. "

"But what volcano can it be?" said Lane, as a peculiar nervous tremorattacked him. 

"You tell me whereabouts we are, and I'll tell you what burning mountainthat is. If you can't tell me, I can't tell you. Wait till the cloudsopen, and I'll get an observation. First thing, though, is to make sailand get away. "

He knew the folly of his remark as he spoke, for the wind had completelydropped now, and it was noted as strange that no rush of air came aftereach explosion. There was the heavy concussion and then a terriblestillness, the air being perfectly motionless, and this appearing themore strange after the frightful tornado through which they had passed. Silence absolute, and a darkness as thick as that of the great plague ofEgypt--a darkness that could be felt. And now, making no headwaywhatever, the vessel rolled heavily in the tossing waves, which boiledround them as it were, as if there were some violent disturbance goingon far beneath the keel. 

"I never see nought like this, " whispered the first sailor Smith, as ifhe were afraid of his words being heard. "Ship's going it like adumpling in a pot. "

"And I never felt anything like it, gentlemen, " said the mate in a lowawe-stricken tone. "But we mustn't show any white feathers, eh, MrLane? Ah, Mr Drew, come to give us your opinion?"

This to the gentleman they had left in the cabin. 

"I have come to bring terrible news, Mr Rimmer, " said the fresh-comer, gravely. "A few minutes after you had left the cabin, Captain Whiterose suddenly upon his elbow. `Fetch Mr Rimmer, ' he said; `no: don'tleave me. He can do no good. It's all getting dark. Tell Mr Rimmerto do his best but I know he will. Stay with me to the last, Mr Drew. 'I should have run and called for help, but it was all too plain, MrRimmer. He was dying, and directly after he sank back on his pillow, gave me one sad look as if to say good-bye, and all was over. "

The terrible silence seemed to be more profound at this announcement, which came like a chill upon the little group already sufficientlyunnerved. 

The silence was broken by the mate, who said, softly, --

"God be merciful to him, and take him unto His rest! We've lost a goodcaptain, gentlemen, and I a very faithful old friend. "

Another deafening roar came from ahead. Away to the east it appeared tobe one minute--to the west, south, north, the next, for the needle ofthe compass was all on the quiver, and appeared as if it followed awandering magnetic attraction in the air. 

Silence again, all but the hissing and splashing of the troubled sea, and the creaking of the beams as the brig rolled slowly from side toside. 

The crew were all grouped together close by the mate, who had succeededto the command of the little vessel, and as he stood there gazing overthe side, thoughtfully, the three young men glanced at each other, andthen at the man who had their lives in charge. 

At last the mate turned, and the light of one of the lanterns shone fullupon his haggard countenance. 

"There's no doubt about it, gentlemen, " he said, "we're near somevolcano in a terrible state of eruption, and there is nothing to be donebut wait. I am perfectly helpless till we get light and a breath ofair. Ah, here's a change. There's no doubt now. I was wrong; we havegot something to do. "

For as he spoke the thick darkness suddenly became blacker; inasmuch asbefore it was all overhead, now it appeared to have gradually settleddown upon the sea and obscured the light of the lanterns. For plainlyenough there was the convincing proof of their being in theneighbourhood of some volcanic disturbance in the mighty band which runsthrough the Eastern Archipelago. The air became suddenly full of athick, fine ash falling softly upon the deck, and to such an extent thatthe gangways were thrown open and the crew were set to work to sweep thepowder off into the sea. 

Here too, a strange effect was produced, for the ship gradually began toroll less violently, the soft fine ash which fell being sufficientlybuoyant to float, and it became so thick that the rough waters werequieted, and the surface was rapidly covered with a thick coating offloating ash. 

At first this dust settled softly down upon the deck, then it came downmore thickly, lodging on the yards and sails, every rope and stay, too, taking its load till it was filled up so that it could bear no more, endconsequently every now and then avalanches of ash were started from onhigh and came down with a soft rush and a heavy thud upon the deck. 

This rapidly accumulated, and the men had to work harder and hardershovelling it to the gangways where others threw it overboard, where itfell silently and without a splash. 

"Work away, everyone, " cried the mate. "It will soon be all down, andthen we shall get light. "

But the fearsome detonations continued, and it was evident that at everydischarge fresh clouds of the volcanic dust were formed, and thedarkness remained as profound as ever. 

"This can't go on, " said Oliver Lane, in a husky whisper to his nearestcompanion as they both paused breathless, dropping with perspiration, choked, and blinded by the volcanic dust. 

"I hope not, " was the reply. "It seems to fall more quickly than weshovel it off. "

"What's that?" cried Lane excitedly, and a low murmur full of horror anddespair, arose from the ship as men threw down shovel and broom and madefor the boats, for following close upon another of the awful explosionsthere was a sudden rushing noise, evidently in the opposite direction, and the vessel quivered from stem to stern as if it had suddenly, andwithout warning, struck upon a rock. 

So startling was the concussion that the immediate conclusion was thatshe was going down, and it was not until a couple of similar concussionshad been suffered that it was realised that the blows were shockscommunicated through the water, which was once more in a fearful stateof disturbance. 

"We're in for it now, gentlemen, " said the mate, in awe-stricken tones. "Look out!" he roared, directly after. 

"Hold on everyone, rope and stays. "

His words were hardly heard, for there was once more a deafening roarapparently somewhere ahead, and almost simultaneously a heavy sea struckthem astern, making the vessel heel over as the wave swept the deck, andas she recovered herself another and another deluged her, and for themoment it seemed as if she must sink. 

But the buoyant vessel rose again as the falling ashes were succeeded bycinders which came rattling and crashing down, literally bombarding thedeck, while to add to the horror the black darkness began to give placeto a blood-red lurid glare. Toward this they were now being drawn, slowly at first, then faster and faster: as, after the three waves thathad struck the vessel, another came towering on astern, threatening toengulf them, but plunging beneath the stern, lifting and bearing themalong upon its tremendous crest with a rush and deafening hissing roar. Faster and faster, and on and toward the deep glow now right ahead. 

Oliver Lane was clinging to the fore shrouds and awake to the fact thathis two friends, Panton and Drew, were at his side, for their facesloomed out of the black darkness, lit up by the blood-red glow fromwhich now came a perceptible sense of heat. The next moment they werejoined by the mate, who yelled to them, his voice plainly heard over thehiss and roar, --

"Earthquake wave! It's all over now. "

He said no more, and they all clung there, with the vessel stillbalanced accurately upon the huge crest and borne on at almost expressspeed. 

In his agony of despair and horror Lane now glanced to right and left tosee by the blood-red glow the rolling hill of water upon which he rodespreading out to right and left, while from the clouds above it was asif the whole of the firmament were casting down its stars in one greatshower of light as the fiery stones came rushing, hissing into the seaand many of them crashing upon the doomed ship. 

Death was upon them in its most awful form, and as the young man wasconscious of two hands gripping his arms, a voice close to his earshouted, --

"The end of all things, my lad; we can never live through this!"

CHAPTER TWO. 

A BIT OF BLUE. 

As if to endorse these words there was once more a deafening explosion, the blood-red glow toward which they were being driven suddenly flashedout into a burst of light so dazzling that all present covered theirblinded eyes; a spurt of fiery blocks of incandescent stone curved overand fell into the boiling sea, and as the occupants of the deck weredriven prostrate by the shock which followed, silence and darkness oncemore reigned. 

"Much hurt, sir?"

Oliver Lane heard those words quite plainly, and lay wondering who itwas that was hurt, and why he did not answer so kindly an inquiry. 

Then, as a hand was laid upon his shoulder, he grasped the fact that itwas the mate who was speaking, and that he was the object of thesailor's solicitude. 

"I--I don't know, " he said, making an effort to sit up, and succeeding. "Whatever is the matter? My head aches a good deal. "

"No wonder, my lad, seeing how you were pitched against the mast. Butyou won't hurt now. I doctored it as well as I could. It bled prettyfreely, and that will keep the wound wholesome. "

"Bled?" said the young fellow wonderingly, as he raised his hand, andfound that a thick bandage was round his forehead. 

"Yes; we were all thrown down when she struck, but you got the worst ofit. "

"She struck?--the ship? Then we have all been wrecked?"

"Well, yes, " said the mate, giving his head a vicious kind of rub; "Isuppose we must call it a wreck. Anyhow, we're ashore. "

"And it isn't so dark?" said Oliver, rising to his feet and feeling sogiddy that he caught at the nearest rope to save himself from falling. 

"No, it isn't so dark, for the clouds are passing away. We shall havedaylight directly. "

"Morning?"

"No; it's quite late to-morrow afternoon, " said the mate grimly. 

"But I don't hear that thundering now?"

"No; it's all over seemingly, thank goodness, " said the mate, as hisinjured companion looked wonderingly up at the thick, blackened cloudsstill hanging overhead, and listened quite expectant for the nextterrible detonation. "I began to think we were going to be carriedalong full speed into some awful fiery hole on the top of that wave, andthat when we struck the water was going on to put out the fire, and Isuppose it did. "

"What?" cried Lane, looking round him, and then at the mate, to see ifhe were in his right senses. 

"Yes, you may look, Mr Lane, " he said. "I'm all right, only a bitscared; I know what I'm saying, and as soon as it get's light enoughyou'll see. "

"But I don't understand. "

"No, nor anybody else, sir, but Nature, who's been having a regular turnup. I s'pose you know that we were in for a great eruption?"

"Yes, of course. "

"And somehow mixed up with the storm, there was an earthquake?"

"No, I did not grasp that, only that we were being carried toward aburning mountain; but I don't see any glow from the volcano now. "

"No; it's all out, and I ought to have said a sea-quake. It seems to meit was like this: a great place opened somewhere, out of which the flameand smoke and thunderings came, till it had half spent its strength, andthen the sea mastered it, and ran into the great hole and put out thefire, but it took all the sea to do it. "

"I say, Mr Rimmer, " exclaimed Oliver Lane, staring hard at the mate, "did you get a heavy blow on the head when we came ashore?"

"No; I had all my trouble before the shock came that sent you down, Imean when we struck I'm as clear as a bell now, sir, and know what I'msaying. "

"But the sea--I don't hear any waves now. There are no breakers, thedeck is not flooded, and yet you say we are ashore?"

"You can't see any breakers, and they can't, " said the mate, pointing toa group dimly seen through the gloom clustered together and looking overthe vessel's side, "because it's as I tell you, the earth opened withthat eruption, and the seas all ran down the hole. "

"Mr Rimmer!"

"That's right, sir. We're ashore, but it's on the bottom of the sea. "

"Nonsense!" cried Oliver Lane. 

"Oh, very well, look over the side, then. Where's the water? I've beenlooking and listening, and there isn't a drop to be heard; it's too darkto see anything yet. Now, listen again. "

"I can hear nothing, " said Oliver. 

"No, not a splash, and the great volcano is put out. That isn't smokewhich makes it so dark, but steam rising from the big hole in theearth. "

"Oh, impossible!" cried Lane. 

"All right, sir, then make it possible by explaining it some other way. But, as far as I can make out, our voyage is over, and we've got to walkall the way home, and carry our traps. "

"Wait till it gets light, " said Lane confidently, "and you'll see thatyou are wrong. Who's that, Drew?"

"Yes. Are you better?"

"Oh, yes, only a little giddy. Where's Panton?"

"Over yonder. I say, what do you think of this? Isn't it awful! Youknow we are ashore. "

"Mr Rimmer says we're on the bottom of the sea, with all the water runout. "

"Well, it does seem like it, but that's impossible, of course. We'renot in a lake. "

"I don't know where we are gentlemen, " said the mate, "only that I feellike a fish out of water, and I'm quite in the dark. "

"Wherever we are, " said Drew, "we have been in the midst of an awfulnatural convulsion, and if we can escape with life, I shall feel glad tohave been a witness of such a scene. "

"I'm thinking about our poor ship, sir, " said the mate. "She's of moreconsequence to me than Nature in convulsions. Oh, if these clouds wouldonly rise and the light come so that we could see!"

"It is coming, " cried Lane. "It is certainly clearer over yonder. Howstill everything is!"

_Scree-auh_!

A long-drawn, piercing, and harsh cry from a distance. 

"What's that?" cried Drew. 

"Fish, " said the mate, drily. "Found there's no more water, and it'sgoing to die. "

"Mr Rimmer, " cried Lane, "what nonsense!"

"Nonsense? Why, I've many a time heard fish sing out when they've beendragged on board. "

"That was a bird, " said Lane, as he shaded his eyes to try and piercethe gloom around them. "There it goes again. "

For the cry was repeated, and then answered from behind them, andfollowed directly after by a piping whistle and a chirp. 

"We're ashore with birds all about us, " said Oliver Lane decisively. Wewere carried right in by that earthquake wave, and the water has retiredand left us stranded. 

"Have it your own way, gentlemen, " said the mate. "It's all the same tome whether my ship's left stranded at the bottom of a dry sea or rightaway on land. She's no use now--that's plain enough. "

Just then the darkness closed in again, and save for the murmur ofvoices in the obscurity, the stillness was terrible. So utterly darkdid it become that anything a yard away was quite invisible, and oncemore, suffering one and all from a sensation of dread against which itwas impossible to fight, the occupants of the deck stood waiting toencounter whatever was next to come. 

Oliver Lane was at the age when a youth begins to feel that he is aboutto step into a fresh arena--that of manhood, but with a good deal thatis boyish to hold him back. And in those moments, oppressed andovercome as he was by the long-continued darkness, he felt a strongdisposition to search out a hand so as to cling to whoever was nearest, but he mastered the desire, and then uttered a sigh of satisfaction, forDrew, his companion, suddenly thrust a hand beneath his arm and pressedtowards him. 

"Company's good, " he whispered, "even if you're going to be hanged, theysay; let's keep together, Lane, for I'm not ashamed to say I'm in aregular stew. "

"So's everybody, " said the mate frankly. "I've been through a good dealat sea, gentlemen, but this is about the most awful thing I ever didencounter. I wouldn't care if we were only able to see what was tohappen next. "

A cheer broke out from the crew at that moment, for right overhead theblackness opened, and a clear, bright ray of light shot down upon thedeck, quivered, faded, shot out again, and then rapidly grew broader andbroader. 

"Blue sky!" yelled one of the sailors frantically as a patch appeared;and in his intense excitement he dashed off into the rapid steps of ahornpipe. 

"Bravo, my lads!" cried the mate, who was as excited as the men. "Cheeragain. Three cheers for the bit of blue!"

The men shouted till they were hoarse, paused, and then cheered again, while Panton turned now to where his friends were standing with themate, and with the tears welling in his eyes, began to shake hands withfirst one and then another, all reciprocating and beginning in theirhysterical delight to repeat the performance double-handed now, as thelight grew broader and clearer. A soft, warm mellow glow, which grewand grew till the huge dense steam clouds were seen to be rolling slowlyaway in three directions, in the fourth--the north evidently, from thedirection of the golden rays of light--there was one vast bank ofvapour, at first black, then purple, and by degrees growing brighter, till the men burst forth cheering wildly again at the mass of splendourbefore them. For far as eye could reach all was purple, orange, goldand crimson of the most dazzling sheen, then darkness once more; for thesun, of which they had a momentary glimpse, was blotted out by therolling masses of cloud which were floating away. 

But it was the darkness of an evening in the tropics. The light hadbeen, and sent hope and rest into their breasts, giving them theknowledge of their position as they lay stranded upon an open plain withthe terrible convulsion of nature apparently at an end. 

CHAPTER THREE. 

"JUST NOWHERE!"

"One must eat and one must sleep, " said Oliver Lane, "even if a fellowhas been knocked on the head and nearly killed. "

Every one was of the same opinion; but though there were a few attemptsat jocularity, the mirth was forced, and all knew that they were tryingto hide the deep feelings of thankfulness in their hearts for theirsafety, after passing through as terrible an ordeal as could fall to thelot of man. 

There was another reason, too, for the solemnity which soon prevailed;the captain lay dead in the cabin--the man who not many hours before wasin full possession of health, and now sleeping calmly there, beyondsharing the hopes and fears of those whom he had left behind. Consequently, men went to and fro as if afraid of their steps beingheard, and for the most part conversed in whispers for some time, tillthe question arose about keeping watch. 

"There's only one thing to keep a watch for to-night, " said the mate toOliver, --"savages. "

"If there are savages here, would they not have been drowned, MrRimmer?"

"Perhaps--or burned to death. Then there's nothing to watch for. "

"Not for the wave that may come and carry us back to sea?"

"No; that would be too long a watch, sir. Such an eruption as we haveencountered only comes once in a man's lifetime. I'm in command now, and I shall let every poor fellow have ten or a dozen hours' good sleep, and I am so utterly done up that I shall take the same amount myself. "

The consequence was that all through that natural darkness of night deadsilence reigned. 

But not for ten or a dozen hours. Before eight of them were passed, Oliver Lane was awake and on deck, eager and excited with all anaturalist's love of the wild world, to see what their novelsurroundings would be like. 

The sun was shining brilliantly; low down in the east the sky wasgolden, and as he raised his head above the hatchway, it was to gazeover the bulwarks at a glorious vista of green waving trees, on many ofwhich were masses of scarlet and yellow blossom; birds were flying inflocks, screaming and shrieking; while from the trees came melodiouspipings, and the trills of finches, mingled with deep-toned, organ-likenotes, and the listener felt his heart swell with thankfulness, and amist came before his eyes, as he felt how gloriously beautiful the worldseemed, after the black darkness and horrors through which he hadpassed. 

Then everything was matter-of-fact and ordinary again, for a voicesaid, --"Hullo! you up? Thought I was first. "

"You, Drew? I say, look here. " Sylvester Drew, botanist of the littleexpedition, shaded his eyes from the horizontal sunbeams, and lookedround over the hatchway as he stood beside his companion, and kept onuttering disconnected words, --"Beautiful--grand--Paradise--thank God!"By one impulse they stepped on deck and went to the bulwarks, to standthere and look around, astounded at the change. 

From where they had obtained their first glimpse of their surroundingsthey only saw the higher ground; now they were looking upon the level--ascene of devastation. 

For they were both gazing upon the track of the earthquake wave, and allaround them trees were lying torn-up by the roots, battered and strippedof their leafage, some piled in inextricable confusion, others halfburied in mud. Some again had soft white coral sand heaped over them. Here, the surface had been swept bare to the dark rock which formed thebase of the island or continent upon which they had been cast; there, mud lay in slimy waves, some of which were being disturbed at thesurface by something living writhing its way through the liquid soil. 

"Might have given a fellow a call, " said a voice, and Panton came up tothem. "You fellows are as bad as schoolboys; must have first turn. "

"Never thought of calling you, " said Drew. 

"Not surprised at you, " said Panton to Oliver Lane, "you are only aschoolboy yet; but you might have called me, Drew. "

"Don't take any notice, Oliver, lad, " said Drew. "Panton always goesbadly till he has been oiled by his breakfast. "

"My word!" cried Panton, as he grasped the scene around them. "Lookhere, Drew! Look at the earth bared to its very bones. Volcanic. Lookat the tufa. That's basalt there, and look where the great blocks ofcoral are lying. Why, they must have been swept in by the wave. "

"Don't bother, " said Drew. "I want to make out what those trees are inblossom. They must be--"

"Oh, bother your trees and flowers! Here, Oliver, lad, look at thegreat pieces of scoria and pumice. Why, that piece is smoking still. These must be some of the fragments we saw falling yesterday. "

"Can't look, " said Oliver, "I want to know what those birds are, andthere's a great fish in that muddy pool yonder, and, if I'm not greatlymistaken, that's a snake. Here, quick! Look amongst those trees. There's a man--no, a boy--no. I see now; it's alive, and--yes--it'ssome kind of ape. "

"Well, we can't go on fighting against each other, with every man forhis own particular subject, " said Drew, "we must take our turns. We'vebeen cast on a perfect naturalist's paradise, with the world turnedupside down, as if for our special advantage. "

"Yes, " said Panton; "we could not possibly have hit upon a place morefull of tempting objects. "

"But what about our exploration in New Guinea?" said Oliver. 

"This may be the western end of that island, " said Panton. "But where'sthe volcano that has caused all this mischief?"

"Yonder, " said Oliver, pointing, "behind the cloud. "

The others looked at a dense curtain of mist which rose from the earth, apparently to the skies, and hid everything in that quarter, thedesolation extending apparently for a couple of miles in the directionof the curtain, beyond that the ground rose in a glorious slope ofuninjured verdure, and then came the great cloud of mist or smokeshutting off the mountain, or whatever was beyond. 

"But where is the sea?" said Oliver. 

"All run down through a big hole into the earth, I say, " said a deepvoice. "Well, gentlemen, how are you?"

"Ah, Mr Rimmer, good morning, " cried Oliver, shaking hands. "How areyour hurts?"

"Oh, better my lad, and yours?"

"Only a bit stiff and achy. But who's to think of injuries in such aglorious place?"

"Glorious!" said the mate, screwing up his face. "Look about you. Everything's destroyed. "

"Oh, yes, " said Drew; "but in a month it will be all green again and asbeautiful as ever!"

"Except my poor brig, " said the mate. "Why, she's regularly plantedhere in the mud and sand, and, unless she strikes root and grows youngvessels, she's done for. "

"But where is the sea?" cried Oliver. 

The mate looked round him and then pointed south-west. 

"Yonder, if there is any, " he said. 

"How do you know?"

"Trees all standing in the other direction, and yes, there are othersout that way, " he said, pointing. "It's plain enough, the wave sweptright across this low level. You can see how the trunks lie and how therocks and the shells have been borne along. Far as I can make out thewave has cleared a track about a dozen miles wide. May be twenty. Why, you gentlemen seemed to be quite pleased. "

"Why not?" cried Oliver. "It's grand. Look at the work cut out for us. We want all the British Museum staff to help. "

"Better have my crew, then, for there's nothing for us to do. Thebrig's fast settled down on an even keel. I say, Mr Panton, kick me orpinch me, please. "

"What for?"

"Because I must be asleep and all this a dream. No, it's real enough, "he said, sadly; "wait till I get a glass. "

He went back to the cabin and returned directly with a telescope. 

"I'll go up to the main-top, " he said, "and have a look round. "

The three naturalists were too much taken up by the endless objects ofinterest spread around them to pay much heed to his words, so that hehad mounted to the main-top and then to the topgallant masthead beforehis words took their attention again, just too, as plainly enough theycould make a huge animal of the crocodile kind slowly crawling along theedge of a pool about a quarter of a mile away. 

"Here you are, gentlemen, " the mate shouted. 

"Yes, what is it?" cried Oliver, in answer to his hail. 

"You can trace it all from here with the glass. There is some sealeft. "

"So I suppose, " said Panton drily. 

"Lies about four miles away to the east-'ard, and the land's swept rightup to us, and then away north-west for a dozen miles, I should say, tothe sea on that side. "

"Can you make out the mountain?"

"No; there's nothing but cloud to the norrard. I expect it's there, andnot very far away. "

"And how far-off is the nearest sea?" asked Oliver. 

"'Bout four miles. "

"And what do you make this out to be--an island?"

"Can't say, sir. Island or peninsula. Can't be mainland. But I shallbe able to settle that before long. "

He reached the deck just as the men were coming up from the forecastle, and they were soon at work swabbing the planks, squaring yards, shakingout the sails to dry, and getting the vessel in order just as if shewere at sea, while the cook and steward attended to their work as coollyas if nothing had happened. 

At mid-day the mate had taken his observations and marked down theirposition on the chart just where the map showed a broad blank in theArafura Sea. 

"But are you right?" said Oliver, as he followed the mate's pointingfinger. 

"As right as my knowledge of navigation will let me be, sir, " said themate quietly. "That's where we are. "

"But where is that?"

"Just nowhere, sir. "

"But--"

"We're very cunning, sir, and think we know the whole world andeverything there is; but now and then we find out that we are not soclever as we thought, and that there is just a little more to learn. Isaid that we were nowhere just now, which isn't quite correct, becausewe are here; but it strikes me that we're in a spot where no civilisedvessel ever was before. "

"What, right on shore?" said Oliver, smiling. 

"No, sir, I didn't mean that. I meant no vessel ever touched herebefore, or it would have been marked down in the chart. Savages havebeen, perhaps. Maybe they're here still, but they have been frightenedinto their holes by the eruption. "

Oliver looked out of the open cabin window as if expecting to see aparty of the people coming, but he only made out something living in oneof the pools left by the flood wave. 

"I'm very sorry, gentlemen, the captain and I undertook to cruise withyou along the New Guinea coast; but man proposes and--you know the rest. Here we shall have to stay till some vessel comes in sight to take usoff, and to that end I propose that to-morrow morning we begin to makeexpeditions to the coast, and set up a spar here and there with a bit ofbunting showing for a signal of distress. "

"No, don't--that is--not yet, " said Oliver, excitedly. "No place thatyou could have found would have equalled this. "

"If we have no more eruptions, " said Drew. 

"And earthquake waves, " added Panton. 

"I think we have been most fortunate, " cried Oliver. 

"Oh, well, if you're satisfied, gentlemen, " said the mate, "I'm sure Iam. You mean to begin looking for your bits of stone and butterfliesthen, here?"

"Of course, " cried Oliver; "and we can live on board just as if we wereat sea. "

"Oh, yes, " said the mate drily; "and you'll always be able to find thebrig. She won't stir just yet, and there's no need to lower down ananchor. Very well, then, gentlemen, so be it; and now, if you please, we'll go down and make our way across yonder where those trees arestanding, and do our duty by our poor dead friend. "

Silence fell upon the group at this, and an hour later the whole of thecrew were standing upon an eminence about a couple of miles from theship, where the earthquake wave had passed on, leaving the beautifultrees and undergrowth uninjured, and save at the edge they had escapedthe storm. 

Here in the wonderful solitude, where the sun's rays fell in silver rainupon the newly turned black earth, the dead captain was laid to take hislong last sleep; and sad, but still lightened in heart, the partyreturned to the _Planet_ to talk over their plans for the morrow, whenthe first exploration of the unknown land was to commence. 

Still weary from the shock and exertions of the past days, bed wassought in pretty good time, and Oliver Lane lay in his berth close tothe open cabin window for some time in a half dreamy fashion, inhalingthe soft warm air, and fancying now and then that a puff of hotsulphurous steam was wafted in through the window. Then he listened toa dull low singing and murmuring noise, quite plain now in the distanceas if steam was rising from the ground. Anon came a loud splashing andwallowing as of some large beast making its way through water, and thiswas followed by a series of heavy blows apparently struck on the land orliquid sand. Gasping sighs, the smacking of lips, and then again hissesand noises, which made the listener ask himself whether there could bedangerous beasts about, and whether it was wise for the mate to have acouple of stout planks laid from the gangway down to the sand in whichthe brig was bedded. 

But somehow these things ceased to trouble him. The noises wereundoubtedly caused by fishes or crocodiles, which would not come onboard, and he dropped off to sleep, and then awoke, as if directly, tolie staring at the dim cabin lamp against the roof, and wonder what wasthe meaning of the heavy feeling of oppression from which he suffered. 

"Was it a nightmare?" he asked himself. Certainly there was somethingupon his chest, and it was moving. He could feel it plainly stirringall over him, and he was about to give himself a violent wrench whensomething passed between his eyes and the cabin lantern--something sohorrible that it froze all his faculties into a state of inaction. Forhe saw distinctly the glistening of burnished scales, and a serpent'shead at the end of an undulating neck, and directly after a forkedflickering tongue touched and played about his face. 

CHAPTER FOUR. 

SNAKES. 

"It's only a dream-nightmare; but how horribly real, " said Oliver Laneto himself, as a feeling of resignation came over him, and he lay therewaiting for his imagination to be darkened over by a deeper sleep. 

For there was an utter cessation of all sense of fear, and in quite aphilosophical fashion, he began to think of how clear it all was, andhow his mind could occupy mentally the position of a spectator, and lookon at the vivid picture in which his body was playing so important apart. 

"I know how it is, " he thought; "I asked myself this afternoon whetherthe writhing creatures I saw moving about in the mud were sea-snakes, and directly after I began looking away among the trees, and wonderingwhether there were any big boas among their branches. One generally cantrace one's dreams. "

And all the time the weight upon his chest increased, and the pressuregrew more suffocating, while the serpent's head played about his lips, touching them from time to time with its moist, cool tongue. 

He felt then that, in accordance with all he had read, the monster wouldnow begin to cover him with what the wild beast showman call "itsserlimer, " and then proceed to swallow him slowly, till he lay like agreat knot somewhere down its distended body, while the reptile went tosleep for a month. 

"And that wouldn't do for me, " thought Oliver, as he felt quite amusedat the thought. "I want to be up and doing; so, as all these horriblenightmare dreams come to an end, and as writers say, just at the mostintense moment--then I awoke, I think I've had enough of this, and thatit's time I did wake up. "

At that moment a shudder ran through him, and he turned cold. A deathlydank perspiration broke from every pore, and he lay absolutelyparalysed. 

He was awake. He knew it well enough now. No nightmare could be sovivid, and in no dream was it possible for him who had it to, as itwere, stand aside from the sufferer, as he had imagined. Yes, he waswide awake, and this great reptile had nestled to him for the sake ofheat, after being half drowned by the flood. For after undulating itsneck for a few moments longer, it lowered its crest, and in place ofseizing him with its widely distending jaws, let its head sink down uponhis throat and then lay as if enjoying the warmth from his body, andabout to settle off to sleep. 

What to do?

It was plain enough; so long as he lay perfectly still there was nothingto fear, for the reptile's visit was neither inimical nor in search offood. It had evidently glided up the plank slope and through thegangway to escape from the chilling wet ground, then made its way intothe cabin and found the young man's berth pleasantly attractive. ButOliver felt that the slightest movement on his part might incense thecreature and rouse within it a feeling that it was being attacked and adesire to crush its aggressor. 

He knew well enough how wonderfully rapid the motions of a reptile were, and that in all probability if he stirred he would the next moment, bewrapped with lightning speed within its folds, and crushed to death. 

The muscular strength of these creatures was, he knew, prodigious; evenan eel of two or three feet long could twine itself up in a knot thatwas hard to master, hence a serpent of fifteen or twenty feet in lengthwould, he felt, crush him in an instant. 

Oliver Lane lay sick with horror. The weight upon his chest grewunbearable, and the desire to cast it off stronger minute by minute, ashe lay motionless, with his oppressor quite invisible now. 

Panton was in the berth above him, Drew upon the other side of thecabin, and along the beams there were guns and rifles hanging ready foruse, while a faintly heard tread overhead told him that the watch was onthe alert. But though help and means of defence were so near and ready, they seemed to be too far-off to avail him much, and hence he still didnot stir. 

Twenty or thirty feet he felt the creature must be, and of enormousthickness. They could not, then, be upon an isle, he thought, for sucha creature must be an inhabitant of the mainland. But what could he do, with the weight increasing now? He could not possibly bear it muchlonger, for the reptile must be far longer than he had first imagined--forty feet at least. 

At last, after vainly hoping that the serpent might grow restless andleave him, he felt that he must make some effort, and determined to callto his comrades for help. 

But he hesitated, for what would be the consequences? The monster wouldbe aroused by the noise and the first movement he made; and if it didnot attack him, it would seize Drew or Panton, who would wake up incomplete ignorance of the danger at hand. They could not use their gunsthere, in the narrow cabin, and the serpent would be master of thefield. 

No; he dare not call for them to help him, nor speak till some one cameinto the cabin, for in all probability Mr Rimmer was on deck and wouldcome down soon. 

A hundred wild thoughts flocked through Oliver Lane's brain, as he laythere half-suffocated, and felt how hard it was to have escaped from theterrible dangers of the volcanic eruption to find his end in the embraceof a loathsome serpent. 

At last his mind was made up to what seemed to be the only way ofescape. He determined to try and collect his energies, and then, afterdrawing a long deep breath, suddenly heave the monster off him on to thecabin floor. This he knew--if he were successful--would enrage it, butat the same time it might make for the companion-way and escape on tothe deck--to attack the watch!

He hesitated at this for a few moments, but self-preservation is thefirst law of nature, and the watch would hear the alarm and be able toascend the rigging, out of the creature's reach. 

"I must do it, " thought Oliver, "before I become too weak, for he'ssixty feet long if an inch, " and beginning softly to draw in a deepbreath, he felt, to his horror, a slight gliding motion on the part ofthe reptile, as if the heaving up were making it uncomfortable. 

Oliver Lane lay motionless again, gathering force for his great effort. His mind was now wonderfully active, and the serpent had grown to fullya hundred feet long. Feeling that it was sheer cowardice to be passive, he was about to make a desperate effort to throw off his incubus, whenthere was a shout on deck, answered by Mr Rimmer's voice, evidently ina great state of excitement, but what was said could not be made out inthe cabin. In fact, Oliver had his own business to mind, for at thefirst sound from the deck the serpent raised its head, and he could seeits tongue quivering and gleaming in the light, and the neck wavering, while the whole of its great length began to glide over him in differentdirections, as if every fold was in motion. 

The noise on deck increased; there was the sound of yells and shouts;then came a crack, as if someone had struck the bulwark a heavy blow, which was followed by the quick trampling of feet and the mate's voicegiving directions. 

By this time the serpent's head had been lowered, and as the movement ofits body increased, Oliver knew that the reptile was gliding down fromthe berth on to the cabin floor and to endorse this came the feeling ofthe weight passing off from his chest. 

"What is it? What's the matter?" cried Panton, waking up, and, directlyafter, Drew asked what was "up. "

"Don't know, " cried Panton. "Where's Lane? Hi! Lane, old chap, wakeup! There's something wrong on deck. "

He made a movement to swing his legs out on to the floor and Olivertried hard to utter a word of warning, but he could not. His tongue wastied--the power to speak utterly gone; and he could only lie there, feeling the last folds of the serpent glide out of his berth as hisfriend lowered his bare feet, and then uttered a yell of horror, anddragged them back again, just as, consequent upon his action, a quickrustling sound was heard. 

"What is it?" cried Drew, excitedly. 

"Snake--serpent!" groaned Panton. "I put my feet right upon its back. "

"Ugh!" grunted Drew, drawing back his own feet as the quick rustlingsound went on. "Look! There it goes out of the door. A monster. Where's Lane?"

"Here!" sighed the young man in a voice which he did not know for hisown. 

"Look out! Big snake!"

"I know it, " panted Oliver. "Woke up--on my chest. "

"Here, get a gun, someone, " cried Panton; "the brute must be in thecompanion-way in ambush. "

But no one stirred. 

"I say, Lane, can't you reach a gun without getting out of bed?" saidPanton, in a piteous tone of voice. "They're over on your side. "

"Yes; as soon as I can get my breath, " replied Oliver. "I'm rathergiddy and stupid yet. "

"I don't know about giddy, " grumbled Drew. 

"Then you think I am the other thing?" said Oliver, rather huskily. "All right; but if you had had that great brute upon your chest thislast hour, you would be stupid. "

"Oh, I beg your pardon, old fellow!" cried Drew hastily. "I reallydidn't know. But, I say, what is going on upon deck?"

The answer came at once from Mr Rimmer, who hurried into the cabin. 

"Here, gentlemen, for goodness' sake come on deck!" he cried, as hesnatched down a double gun. "We've got a visitor there. "

"Yes, I know--a great serpent, " said Oliver. 

"Eh!--how did you know?" cried the mate, as he examined the piece to seeif it was loaded. 

"Lane has had it in bed with him. "

"What! That's nice! Look sharp, gentlemen; bring your guns and I canpromise you some nice shooting, though it's rather dark. The brute hastaken possession of the deck, and we've been hitting at it withhand-spikes, but every crack only made him wag his tail and hiss at us. There; hark at them; they must have got him into a corner. "

For the shouts and the sound of blows came again, louder than ever. 

"There, I'm off; but make haste; and mind how you shoot, for it's ratherdark--only starlight. "

The young men hurriedly slipped on their trousers, and each took adouble gun and proceeded to load. 

"Swan shot?" suggested Oliver. "It's a huge brute. "

"Never fired at a snake in my life, " said Panton; "but I owe this brutesomething for scaring me. Ready?"

"Yes, ready, " was the response; and they all stepped up on deck to gocautiously forward with their pieces at full cock to where the noise andconfusion were still going on. 

"Hi! Look out!" cried Oliver, as they advanced, and, raising his piece, he fired at something shadowy which he made out by the light of thestars gliding slowly along beneath the bulwarks. 

The gun flashed, and the report was followed by a loud hissing, and aviolent blow, as if some enormous whip had been lashed at the three, whowere thrown to the deck, their legs being swept from under them. 

"Hi!--this way, " cried the mate from forward. "We've got him here. "

They sprang up and hurried forward, Oliver recharging his piece with afresh cartridge as they went, but only in time to hear another report, for the mate fired, and the men uttered a shout as a more violentscuffling noise arose. 

"That's settled him, " cried the mate. "Here, get the lanterns down;we'll soon have him out of that. Big one, isn't he?"

This to Oliver, who looked down at the deck to see, heaving andthrobbing as if there were plenty of life in it still, about seven oreight feet of the tail part of a great serpent, the rest of the reptilebeing down in the forecastle, into which it was making its way when themate gave it a shot. 

"Yes, the brute!" cried Oliver excitedly. "It woke me by crawling intomy berth. "

"Well, he won't do that again. Smith had a cut at him with an axe, andI a shot. Now, then, lay hold, some of you, and let's haul the beggarout. "

The men hesitated, but the mate ejaculated and seized the tail, whichimmediately twitched and threw him off, making everyone laugh. 

"Oh, that's nothing, " said the mate, taking a fresh grip. "I know Igave it a death wound. Come along, lay hold, you're not afraid of asnake?"

Two of the men came up rather unwillingly, and, seizing hold together, they gave a sharp drag and drew it out, writhing and twining still, andbeating its bleeding head upon the white deck. 

"Shall I give it another shot?" cried Oliver excitedly. 

"Waste of a good cartridge, sir, " said the mate. "It is nearly deadnow. Muscular contractions, that's all. "

"Ahoy! Hi! Look out!"

"Oh, murder!" shouted someone. 

"Why didn't you speak sooner, mate?" cried another from where he layclose up under the bulwarks. For the wounded serpent had suddenlylashed out with its tail, and flogged two of the men over with itsviolent blows. 

"I say, sir, " said the first man, "hadn't I better cut his muscularcontractions off with a haxe afore he clears the deck?"

"No, no, Smith, don't do that, " cried Oliver, "you would spoil itsskin. "

"Well, sir, but if he don't, he'll spoil our'n, " said the sitting man. 

"That's a true word, Billy Wriggs, " said Smith, in a grumbling tone, ashe began to rub himself. "If I'd my way, I'd chuck the beggaroverboard. "

"What's the good o' that, matey, when there arn't no water? You can'tdrown sarpents in dry earth. "

"Hi! Look out!" shouted the men in a chorus, for the reptile began tobeat the deck again, as it twisted and twined and flogged about with itsmuscular tail, which quivered and waved here and there, sending the menflying. One minute the creature was tied up in a knot, the next glidinghere and there, as if seeking a way to escape. 

Gun after gun was raised to give it a shot, but its movements were soeccentric, that the best marksman would have found it a difficult taskby daylight; there in the shadowy darkness it would have beenimpossible. 

No one present had any hesitation about giving the brute a wide berth, and at the end of a minute or two it uncoiled itself and lay inundulations, showing its length pretty plainly. 

"That was its flurry, " said the mate, advancing now, and the men camedown from the shrouds, the top of the galley, and out of the boats wherethey had taken refuge; "but perhaps we had better pitch it over the sidetill morning. "

A low murmur arose from the men. 

"What's that?" cried the mate sharply. "Are you afraid of the thing?"

"Well, sir, not exactly afraid, " said Smith respectfully, "only you seeit arn't like handling a rope. "

"Yah!"

A tremendous shout or rather yell from away aft, and the sailor who hadtaken refuge in that direction, now came running forward. 

"What's the matter, Wriggs?" cried the mate. 

"Seen his ghost, sir, " groaned the man, who looked ghastly by the lightof the lanterns. 

"What?" cried the mate, as the three naturalists headed the shout oflaughter which rose from the crew. 

"Ah, you may laugh, " grumbled the man, wiping the perspiration from hisface, "but there it is all twissen up by the wheel and it made a snap atme as I got close up. "

"You're a duffer, " roared the mate. "Look here, my lads, he has seenthe big hawser. "

"No, sir, " cried Wriggs, striking one hand heavily into the other, as aburst of laughter arose. "I see that there sarpent's sperrit twissen upround the wheel and the binnacle, and if you don't believe me, go andsee. Ah! Look out: here it comes. "

The man made a dash to get right forward out of the way, but, in hisexcitement, tripped over the body of the serpent lying gently heavingupon the deck, went headlong, yelling in his fear, and rolled over andover to the side. 

But little attention was paid to him, the men thinking of nothing elsebut retreating, for from out of the gloom aft, and making a strangerustling in its serpentine course, a reptile, largely magnified by dreadand the gloom, came gliding towards them with its crest raised abouteight inches from the planks. 

For a moment or two, as the men hurried away, the little party from thecabin stood staring in wonder. 

"Run, gentlemen, run, " shouted Smith. "He'll be orfle savage. T'ain'ta ghost, it's t'other half. I knowed I cut him in two when I let gowith the haxe. "

"I know, " cried Oliver, excitedly. 

"Yes, sir. It's t'other half, sir, " yelled Smith, who had swung himselfup on one of the stays, where he clung like a monkey. "Shoot, sir, shoot, or it'll grow out a noo head and tail and be worse and moresavager than ever. "

"Yes, " said Oliver to himself, "I'll shoot, " and he fired both barrelsof his piece as soon as he had a chance. 

The effect was instantaneous. One moment the monster was writhingitself into a knot, the next it had rapidly untwined, and was glidingover the bulwarks, the later part rolling over rapidly, like a hugepiece of cable, dimly seen, as it was carried down by an anchor. 

"That's him, " cried Smith; "but you didn't kill him, sir, or he wouldn'thave got over the side like that. It was best half on him. My: what awhopper!"

Oliver ran to the side, followed by his friends, but they could seenothing below in the darkness, only hear the rustling noise of the beastwrithing farther and farther away, the sound ceasing at the end of aminute, when they turned inboard. 

"You didn't kill the other half, " said Mr Rimmer, laughing. 

"No, I wish I had, " cried Oliver. "That was the beast that startled me. These things go in pairs, and the one you killed there was the secondone come in search of its mate. Is it dead?" he continued, giving thelong lithe body of the reptile upon the deck a thrust with his foot. 

The answer came from the serpent itself, for it began to glide alongunder the bulwarks once more, making now, blindly enough, for thegangway, and as no one seemed disposed to stop it, the creaturedisappeared through the side and down the sloping planks to the earth. 

"Look at that!" said Smith to one of his mates, as he lightly dropped ondeck, "young Mr Lane thinks that's another sarpent, but we knowsbetter, eh, lad? I chopped that there beggar clean in half, and one bitwent forrard and t'other went aft. "

"Yes, that's it, " said Billy Wriggs, "and it was the head half as wentaft. "

"Nay, it was the tail, " said Smith. "This here was the head bit. "

"Now, what's the good o' bein' so orbstinit, mate, " said Wriggs, reproachfully. "Think I don't know? I tell yer it was the head bit aswent and twissened itsen round the binnacle and wheel, a-lying in waitfor us poor sailors to go there and take our trick, when he meant togobble us up. Don't matter how long a sarpent is, he can't bite youwith his tail end. "

"No; but he could sting with it; couldn't he?" said another man. 

"Well, yes, " said Smith, thoughtfully, "he might do summat o' that sort. If so be as we finds him lying dead. But I doubts it. Them sort o'beasts, mates, is full o' bad habits, and I shouldn't a bit wonder ifthis here critter crawls right away into the woods and lay hisselfneatly together to make a fit, and then waits till it all grows togetheragain, like graftin'. "

"Think so, mate?" said Wriggs. 

"Ay, that I do. Nat'ral hist'ry's the rummiest thing as I knows on, andthat there young Mr Lane, as is a nat'ralist by purfession, knows awonderful lot about it. Talk about conjuring; why, that's nowhere. Isee him one day take a drop out of a bucket o' water on a slip o' glassand sets it on the cabin table. "

"Why, you don't live in the cabin, " growled one of the men. 

"Yes, I do, mate, when he asts me to carry him in a bucket o' water, sonow then! Well, matey, he goes then to a little m'ogany box and hetakes out a tool like a young spy-glass, and sets the slip under it, andshoves his eye to one end and screws it about a bit, and then he says, says he, `Now then Smith, would you like a peep into another world?'`Yes, sir, ' I says, `I should. ' `Then just clap yer hye here, ' he says, and I did, and there you could see right into a big sea, with a whackinggreat brute lying in the bottom, like a sugar hogshead, with a lot o'borcome structures got their heads in, and their long tails all wavingabout outside. He said it was a fusorior or something o' that kind, andall in that drop o' water, as looked as clear as cryschal when he tookit out o' the bucket. Ah, he can show you something, he can. "

"I know, " said Billy Wriggs, "it was a mykreescope. "

"Dessay it was, " said Smith. "It might ha' been anything. It'swonderful what there is in nat're, my lads. Pity though as a man'shands and legs and arms don't grow again, as some things does. "

"Tchah! They don't, " said Billy Wriggs. 

"What? Why, they do, lots of 'em. Don't lobsters' claws grow again, and lizards tails, and starfishes arms? What yer got to say to that?Mr Lane tells me that there's some kinds o' worms as when you cutstheir heads off they grows again, and their tails too. There we are, though--to-morrow morning. "

The man was right, for day was breaking, and, after the manner of thetropics, where there is scarcely any dawn, the sun soon rose to light upthe desolation around the ship, where the earthquake wave had sweptalong, piling up sand and rock with heaps formed of torn-up trees, lyingnear the pools of water which remained in the depressions of the sand. 

"Swabs, " cried Mr Rimmer, coming forward, and buckets of water beingfetched, the unpleasant stains left by the wounded serpents were soonmoved, though the shot marks remained. 

While the men were cleansing the deck and removing the traces left bythe storm, a little party of three, all well armed, set off to try andtrace the serpents and to get a truthful knowledge of their size, thedarkness having given rather an exaggerated idea of their dimensions. In addition, if found dead, it was proposed to skin them for specimens, and to this end Smith accompanied them, declaring his willingness tomaster his fear of the reptiles and help in any way. 

Before leaving the ship they took a good look round, at what promised tobe a beautiful resting-place, as soon as the vegetation began to springagain, as it was certain to do in that moist tropical heat. Then takingit for granted that the serpents would make for cover, the steps of thelittle party were directed towards the nearest trees, a clump upon abroad elevated spot which had escaped the devastations caused by thewave and not many hundred yards from the ship. 

"Seems rum, gentlemen, " said Smith as they shouldered their guns, andstrode off with a wonderful feeling of elasticity and freedom, aftertheir long cooping up on board ship. 

"What does?" said Oliver. 

"The brig, sir. Ups and downs in life we see. Here was she builtashore, launched and then goes on her voyages, and then all at once sheis launched again t'other way on, as you may say, and run up on land tostay till she dies. "

"Unless we dig a canal back to the sea and float her, Smith, " saidOliver. 

"Zackly so, sir, but you'd want ten hundred thousand niggers to do thework. "

"And the weekly wages bill would be rather big, " said Drew. 

"Look out, " said Oliver, who was bending down and carefully examiningthe ground. 

"What for?" asked Panton, cocking his piece. 

"The serpents. Here is some dried blood. "

"And here's a mark, sir, " added Smith excitedly. "One of the bits comealong here. "

"Yes. I can see another mark, " cried Panton. "Look. " He pointed towhat resembled the impression that would have been made by a large yardlaid in a patch of half-dried mud in a depression, for either going orcoming, a serpent had evidently passed along there. 

The trees were close at hand now, and covered a far greater space thanthey had imagined. The spot was rugged too, with great masses of stone, which showed amongst the trunks and undergrowths, while opposite to themthere was a black cavernous rift, as if the rock had been suddenly splitopen, all of which had been previously hidden by the dense growth. 

"This is going to prove a lovely place, " said Oliver eagerly. 

"Ah! Too late. Did you see it?"

For a bird had suddenly hopped into view over the top of a bush, and, before the young naturalist could bring his gun to bear, darted out ofsight among the foliage, giving those who saw it the impression of avivid flash of fiery scarlet passing rapidly before their eyes. 

"You're all right now, " said Panton. "There are plenty of birds. "

"Yes, and so are you two, " replied Oliver. "Look at the rocks andtrees. "

"Hi! Gents, look out, " cried the sailor. "Here we are. "

The gun-locks clicked as the man started back after pointing before himat the narrow opening in the rocks, and upon Oliver carefully advancing, there lay just visible some dozen feet within the gloomy rift, about tenor a dozen inches of a serpent's tail, the reptile having taken refugein the cavernous place. 

"Here's one of them evidently, " said Oliver, holding his gun ready. 

"Yes, sir, tail end of him. "

Oliver laughed. 

"Have it your own way. But come along, Smith. Here's a chance todistinguish yourself. Step forward and lay hold of the end, and pullthe thing out. We'll cover you with our guns. "

"You don't mean it, sir, do you?"

"Indeed, but I do. "

"Well, sir, begging your pardon, as a man as wants to do his duty, itar'nt to be done. "

"All right, I'm not your captain, but if you will not, I must!"

"No, no, you'd better not, " cried Panton. 

"Pooh, the brute's dead, or nearly so. Will you go, Drew?"

"What, and pull that thing out of its hole? No. If it was a strangeplant. "

"Yes, or some wonderful mineral, but a huge snake. Ugh!"

"Hold my gun, Smith, " said Oliver. "I mean to have that fellow's skin, but I expect he will be pretty heavy. "

He handed his gun to the sailor, and stepped cautiously forward, separating the tangle of creepers, which hung down from above, andclambering over loose fragments of lava-like rock, found that he was atthe entrance of what was evidently a rift penetrating far into thebowels of the earth, while a strange feeling of awe came over him, as henow became aware of low hissing and muttering sounds, evidently fromsomewhere far below. 

"Quick's the word!" said the young man to himself, and stepping boldlyin he seized hold of the serpent's tail with both hands, and at histouch galvanised it into life, for it gave a violent jerk, which draggedhim off his feet. At the same moment, the loose blocks of stone beneathhim gave way, and to the horror of his companions, there was a rustlingsound as of an avalanche being set in motion, Oliver uttered a loud cryas he disappeared; then came a hollow booming roar, a whispering echo, and all was still. 

CHAPTER FIVE. 

LANE'S ESCAPE. 

"Lane!" shouted Panton, hurrying forward toward where his friend haddisappeared. 

"Mind! take care!" yelled Drew. "Here, you Smith, run back to the shipfor ropes and help. "

"And leave him like that, sir?" cried the sailor. "Not me; I'm a-goingafter him, that's my job now. "

The man stepped quickly forward to where Panton had paused, holding onby a mass of lava, and peering into the huge rift. 

"Hold on a moment, sir, " cried the man, who had now set aside his dreadof the serpents, and placing his hand to his mouth, he sent forth atremendous "Mr Lane, ahoy!"

His voice echoed right away into the depths, and set some fragments ofstone falling with a low whispering sound but there was no reply. 

"Mind!" cried Panton, excitedly, and seizing the sailor's arm, he jerkedhim away so roughly, that the man caught his heel and fell backwardsover and over among the stones and creeping growth at the mouth of therift, while Panton himself beat a rapid retreat. 

"I see him, " grumbled Smith, "but I warn't going to him now, " and herose to his knees, as the wounded serpent so rudely seized by OliverLane glided by him, hissing loudly; "I say, never mind that thing now, gents. Come and help Mr Lane. "

A couple of reports came close upon his words, for Drew had fired at theescaping serpent, which now writhed in amongst the bushes, evidently inits death throes. 

"Why, here's t'other bit under me, " said Smith, as he rose to his feetand looked down at where, half hidden, the other serpent had crawledback to its lair to die. In fact the man had fallen upon it, and itssoft body had saved him from a severe contusion. 

But somehow the horror of the reptile was gone in one far greater, and, trembling with eager excitement, Smith began to make his way cautiouslyinward again, stepping carefully on till a stone gave way, and fellrattling down what was evidently a very steep slope. 

"I shall have to go down, " muttered the man, "I can't leave the poor ladthere. Ah, that's right!" he cried as Panton's voice rang out, --"Ropes. Bring ropes. "

"Yes, I may as well have a rope round me, " muttered Smith. Then loudly, "Mr Lane, ahoy!"

There was no answer, and he called again and again without avail. Thena thought striking him, he got out his matchbox, struck a light, litseveral, waited till the splints were well ablaze, and let them falldown burning brightly, but revealing nothing. 

"I can't stand this here, " he muttered, and feeling his way cautiously, he lowered himself down till he could get good foothold, and was in theact of descending farther, when steps approached, and the mate's voicewas heard in company with Panton's. 

"Here, one of you, run back for a lantern, " cried the mate as he hurriedto the mouth of the chasm. "Ahoy there, Mr Lane; Smith!"

"Ahoy it is, sir, " came from below. 

"Hold hard, my lad, and make this rope fast around you. Know where MrLane is?"

The man made no answer for a minute, as he caught and secured the ropeabout him. 

"No, sir, I can't make out, but I'm a-going to see, " he muttered betweenhis teeth--"I mean feel, for we're having nothing but darkness thisvoyage. "

"I'll send a lantern down after you directly, my lad. Ready?"

"Ay, ay, sir. Lower away. "

"No, better wait for the light. It is like pitch down there. "

"Ay, 'tis, sir, but that poor lad's waiting for help. "

"Yes, I know, my man, but you must try to see where he is. Hi! anybodycoming with that light?"

"Yes, the man's coming, " cried Drew. 

"What's that?" said the mate, sharply, as he leaned over the yawninghollow, rope in hand; "that peculiar odour?"

"What, that smell, sir?" said Smith. "I dunno, sir, it's like as ifsomeone had been burning loocifers. Why, of course, I struck some andlet 'em fall. "

"Ah, that's better!" cried the mate, as a lantern was handed to him byPanton; and, passing the free end of the rope through the handle, he ranit along till it was all through, and he could let the light glide downto the sailor. 

"That's all right, sir. Now, then, shall I climb or will you lower medown?"

"Try both, we'll keep a good hold. Heaven help him, I hope he has notgone far. Take hold here. No, Mr Panton, let the men. They arebetter used to handling a rope. Now, then lower away. "

Smith began to descend with the lantern, and, as the mate and Pantongazed down, they could dimly make out that below them was a wide jaggedcrack, descending right away; while in front, a portion of the crackthrough the stone ran forward at a gradual slope, forming a cavern. 

"Keep a sharp look out, my lad. Ah! mind! don't kick the stones down. "

"Can't help it, sir. It's all a big slope here, with the stones waitingto go down with a jump. "

Proof of this came directly, a touch sending pieces bounding and rushingdown in a way that must have been fatal to anyone below. 

The mate uttered a low ejaculation, and Panton drew in his breath with apeculiar hiss, as they heard the fragments go on bounding and reboundingbelow in the awful darkness, while the peculiar odour which the mate hadnoticed came up more strongly now. 

"See him?" cried Mr Rimmer. 

"No, sir. Lower away. "

"Lower away, my lads. Here, you Tomlin, run back and get a couple morelengths. Quick. "

The man darted off, and his comrades lowered away, while Panton and Drewstood with their heads bent and eyes strained to catch a glimpse oftheir friend in the dim light cast by the lantern now far below. 

"It's all one slope, sir, right away down, " cried Smith. 

"Yes, can you make out the bottom?"

"No, sir. Don't seem to be none. Lower away. "

"Ahoy. Help!"

The cry was faint, but it sent a thrill through all gathered at themouth of the chasm. 

"Ahoy!" roared Smith, as he violently agitated the rope. "All right, mylad, coming. Aloft there with the line. No, no, no, don't lower; haul. I'm too low down now. "

The men gave a cheer, and began to haul up till the mate checked them. 

"That right?" he cried to the sailor. 

"Little higher, sir. Couple o' fathom. He's on a bit of a shelf, 'cross a hole, and I shall have to swing to him. "

"That do?" cried the mate in the midst of the breathless excitement. 

"Yes, that's about it, sir. Now, then, make fast. I'm going to swing. "

"Right!"

Then the lantern began to pass to and fro, like a pendulum, and at everythrust given with his feet by the swinging man, the loose blocks of lavaand pumice went rumbling and crashing down, sending up whispering echoesand telling of a depth that was absolutely profound. 

"Can you manage?" shouted the mate. 

"Yes, sir. That was nearly it, " came from below. "This time does it. "

They saw the light swing again a couple of hundred feet beneath them. Then it was stationary, and every man's breath came with a catch, forall at once the stones began to glide again; increasing their rush tillit grew tremendous, and the watchers felt that all was over, for thelight disappeared and the odour that ascended was stifling. 

"Haul! Haul!" came from below, sending a spasm of energy through all atthe mouth as they pulled in the rope. 

"Steady, steady, my lads, " cried the mate. "Got him?" he shouted. 

"Ay, ay! Haul quick!" came in a stifled voice, and the mate and hiscompanions felt a chill run through them as they grasped the fact thatSmith was either exhausted or being overcome by the foul gas set atliberty by the falling stones. 

"Haul steady, my lads, and quick, " said the mate, as he went down on oneknee. "No; walk away with the rope. "

His order was obeyed, and the next minute he was reaching down as thedimly seen lantern came nearer and nearer, revealing Smith's ghastlyupturned face and the strange-looking figure he held. Then, almost flatupon his chest, the mate made a clutch, which was seconded by Drew, Panton aiding, and Oliver Lane was lifted out of the chasm and borneinto the open sunshine, slowly followed by Smith, as the men cheeredabout the peculiar-looking figure--for clothes, face, hair, Lane wascovered with finely-powdered sulphur, in a bed of which he had beenlying. 

"Better get him back to the brig, " said the mate. 

"No, no!" cried Oliver, rousing himself. "I shall be better directly; Istruck my head against a block of stone, or one of them struck me. Itwas so sudden. They gave way all at once, and it was hardly a fall, buta slide down. I was stunned though for a few moments. "

"A few moments!" cried the mate with a grim laugh. "Why, my lad, wewere ever so long before we could make you answer. "

Oliver looked at him wonderingly, and then turned and held out his handto Smith. 

"Thank you, " he said. "It was very plucky of you to come down and fetchme up. "

"Oh, I dunno, sir, " said the sailor in a half-abashed way. "Course Icome down; anyone on us would. But it arn't a nice place, is it?"

"Nice place!" cried Panton, who was full of eager interest as heexamined the fine sulphur clinging to his companion's clothes. "Why itmust be one of the old vents of the mountain. You can smell the gaseshere. "

"You could smell 'em there, sir, " said Smith gruffly. "'Scaping orful. Thought they'd be too much for me. Felt as if I must let go. "

"I'm better now, " said Oliver, rising and drawing a long breath. "Isay, Mr Rimmer, I'm very sorry to have given you all this trouble. "

"Don't say a word about it, sir; but don't go tumbling into any more ofthese holes. "

"Not if I can help it, " said Oliver, smiling. "But the serpent--whatbecame of it?"

The mate laughed and shrugged his shoulders. 

"We've got them both out here, " said Drew. 

"Both bits, sir?" asked Smith eagerly. 

"Both nonsense, my man: both serpents! There were two. Here they are, pretty well dead now. "

Oliver forgot all about the sickening blow he had received, and hisnarrow escape, in his eagerness to examine the reptiles which had causedso much alarm, and his first steps were to ask the men to put a noosearound each, and draw them out into the open. 

There was a little hesitation, but the men obeyed, and the two longtapering creatures were soon after lying in the sun. 

"Hadn't you better come and lie down for a bit?" said the mate. 

"Oh, nonsense!" cried Oliver good-humouredly. "Just for a crack on thehead? I'm right enough, and I want to take the measurement of thesethings before they are skinned. "

"As you like, " said the mate. "Then we may go back. "

"That looks as if I were very ungrateful, " cried Oliver, "and I'm not, Mr Rimmer, believe me. "

"Believe you? Why, of course I do, my lad, " cried the mate, clappinghim warmly on the shoulder. 

"And you don't want me to lie up for a thing like that, do you?"

"I want you to take care of yourself; that's all, sir. There, don'tgive us another fright. I daresay you'll find plenty of other dangerousplaces. But what did you say, Mr Panton--that great hole was a vent ofthe mountain?"

"Yes, undoubtedly. "

"What mountain, sir?"

"The one that was in eruption. "

"Yes, but we don't see one!"

"We see its effects, " said Panton, "and I daresay we shall see it assoon as that line of vapour begins to clear away. "

He pointed to the long misty bank in the distance, which completely shutoff the view beyond the stretch of forest to the northward. 

"Well then, gentlemen, as I have a great deal to do on board, I supposeI may leave you?"

"Unless you'd like to stop and help skin Lane's snakes?"

"Not I, " said the mate merrily. "There, don't get into any moretrouble, please. "

"We'll try not, " said Panton; and after the men had neatly coiled up thelines, they went back with the mate, all but Billy Wriggs, who offeredto stop and help skin the snakes. 

"You don't mean it, do you, Billy?" whispered Smith. "Thought you wastoo skeered?"

"So I am, mate; but I want to be long o' you to see their games. It'sunnatural like to be doin' dooty aboard a wessel as ain't in the water. "

"But you won't touch one of they sarpents?"

"Well, I don't want to, mate; but it's all in yer day's work, yer know. I thought you said it was only one in two halves?"

"So I did, mate--so I did--and so it ought to ha' been, 'cording to myideas, and the way I let go at it with a haxe. But there, one neverknows, and it was in the dark now, warn't it?"

"Seventeen feet, five inches, " said Oliver, just then, as he wound uphis measuring tape, "and sixteen feet, four--extreme lengths, " as Pantonentered the sizes in Oliver's notebook for him. 

"Hark at that now!" said Billy Wriggs in a hoarse whisper. "Why, Ishould ha' said as they was a hundred foot long apiece at least. "

"And, arter all, they ain't much bigger than a couple o' worms. "

Five minutes later the two men were hard at work skinning the reptiles;the example set by Oliver in handling them shaming both into masteringthe repugnance they felt, and first one skin and then the other wasstretched over the limb of a tree to dry; while the bodies were draggedto the cavernous chasm, and tossed down "to cook, " as Smith put it. 

Meanwhile Drew had been busy examining the trees and plants around; andPanton had been fascinated, as it were, by the place, picking upfragments of stone and sulphur-incrusted lava--when he was not listeningto a low hissing, gurgling sound, which told plainly enough thatvolcanic action was still in progress, somewhere in the depths below. 

"There!" cried Oliver. "I'm ready. Where next?"

"Are you fit to go on?" asked Drew. 

"Fit? Yes. Let's get to a pool and have a wash, and then I'm ready foranything. "

"Some water over yonder, sir, " said Smith, pointing to where the sunflashed from a spot beyond the trees. 

"Then let's get to it, " said Oliver. "What do you say to exploringonward toward the mist bank?"

"I say yes, and let's go through it, " cried Panton. "I want to look atthe mountain. What's the matter, Smith? See anything?"

The man held up his hand. 

"Hinjun, sir, " he whispered. 

"Eh! Where?" cried Drew, cocking his piece. 

"Just yonder, sir, past that lot of blocks like an old stone yard; I seeone o' their heads peeping over, and they've got a fire, cookingsomething, I should say, for--phew! they can't want it to warmthemselves, for it's hot enough without. "

They looked in the direction pointed out, and there, plainly enough, wasthe light, fine, corkscrew-like wreath of a pale blue smoke, risingslowly up beyond quite a wilderness of coral rock, swept there by theearthquake wave. 

CHAPTER SIX. 

HOT SPRINGS. 

"Tommy Smith, old matey, " whispered Wriggs, "why warn't you and me borndifferent?"

"That 'ere's a question for your godfathers and godmothers, Billy, asstood sponsors for you when you was born. But what d'yer mean?"

"Why, so as to be like these here gents and have plenty o' money tospend in tools o' all kinds. "

"Ay, 'twould ha' been nicer, I dessay, matey. "

"Course it would. You see they allus has the right tackle foreverything, and a proper pocket or case to keep it in. Look at MrPanton there, with that there young double-barrelled spy-glass ofhis'n. "

"Ay, they've each got one-sidy sort o' little barnacle things as theylooks through to make bits o' stone and hinsecks seem big. "

"Now, we wants to wash our hands, don't us?"

"Ay, we do, matey, " said Smith, raising his to his nose. 

"Mine smell a bit snakey and sarpentine, I must say. "

"Steam or smoke?" said Drew. 

"Both, I think, " replied Panton, closing his glass. 

"Then the savages has got the pot on and it's cooking, " whispered Smith. "I hope it don't mean a mate. "

"Whatcher talking in that there Irish Paddy way?" grumbled Wriggs. "Can't you say meat?"

"Course I can, old mighty clever, when I wants to. I said mate. "

"I know you did, Tommy, and it's Irish when you means cooking meat. "

"Which I didn't mean nothing o' the sort, old lad, but mate. I meant, Ihoped the savages hadn't got hold of one of our messmates and wascooking he. "

"What! Canniballs?" whispered Wriggs, looking aghast. "Why not?There's plenty on 'em out in these 'ere parts, where the missionariesain't put a stopper on their little games, and made 'em eat short pigi'stead o' long. "

"Come, my lads, forward!" said Oliver, who seemed to have quite got overhis adventure. 

"Beg pardon, sir, " said Smith, "we ain't got no weepons 'cept ourjack-knives; had we better scummage up to 'em?"

"Skirmish? Oh, no; there is nothing to mind. "

"That's what the farmer said to the man about his big dog, sir, but thedog took a bit out of the man's leg. "

"But that wasn't a dog, Smith, it was a cat. "

"What, out here, sir, 'long o' the savages? Think o' their keepingcats!"

"No, no, you don't understand. There are no savages here. "

"Why, a-mussy me, sir, I see one looking over the stones yonder with myown eyes. "

"You saw a big, cat-like creature, with its round, dark head. It musthave been a panther, or leopard, or something of that kind. "

The sailor looked at him and scratched his ear. 

"Mean it, sir?" he said. 

"Of course I do. Come along. "

Oliver went on after his two companions, and the sailors followed. 

"How about the canniballs, Tommy?" asked Billy Wriggs with a chuckle. 

"Here, don't you spoil your figger-head by making them faces, " saidSmith, shortly. "I was right enough, so own up like a man. "

"You says, says you, that it was canniballs as had got a pot on over afire, and that they was cooking one of our mates. "

"Loin! how I do hate a man as 'zaggerates! I only said I hoped itwarn't. It's you as put the pot on. "

"I didn't!"

"Yes, you did, old lad, and I dessay I was right arter all, 'cept as itwas only one canniball, and he'd got four legs 'stead o' two. "

Billy Wriggs chuckled again, and then smelt his hands, looked disgusted, and scooped up a little moist earth to rub them with. 

"Look sharp, they're close up, " said Smith, "and I want to see aboutwhat fire there is, and how it come. "

"I know; it's one o' they red hot stones as come down and it's set fireto something. "

A minute later they were within fifty yards of the rising vapours, whenWriggs roared, --"Look out!" and began to run. 

For there was a peculiar rushing noise close overhead, followed by aduet of hoarse cries, and they had a glimpse of a couple of great, heavily-billed birds, passing close to them in the direction of theirleaders. 

Oliver took a quick shot at one and missed, the smoke hiding the secondbird, and they passed on unharmed. 

"Hornbills!" he cried, excitedly. "Come, we shall be able to collecthere. "

"Hear that, mate?" whispered Smith, "hornbills, and can't they blow 'emtoo?"

They stepped in among the stones and found the cat-like creature's lairjust beneath one of them, and plenty of proofs of how it lived, forclose around lay many of the brightly-coloured feathers it had strippedfrom different birds. 

"Evidently preyed upon these, " said Oliver, eagerly, picking up some ofthe feathers to examine. 

"Hear that, Tommy?"

"Yes. "

"Ain't it gammon?"

"No; nat'ral histry's all true, lad. "

"But I never heard o' cats being religious. I've heard o' their beingwicked and mischievous enough for anything. "

"'Ligious! Why, what have you got hold of now?"

"Nothing. You heard him too. He said as the cat prayed on themfeathers. "

"Get out. Don't be a hignoramus. Wild cats is beasts o' prey. "

"He said beasts as pray, and I don't believe it. "

"And I don't believe your head's properly stuffed, mate. Yes, sir, " hecontinued, as Oliver spoke. "You call?"

"I said if you want to wash your snakey hands, here's a good chance. "

The sailor stepped down into a hollow, above which a little cloud ofvapour hung over a basin of beautifully blue water, enclosed by a finedrab-coloured stone. It was not above a foot deep, save in the centre, where there was a little well-like hole, and a dozen feet across, whileat one side it brimmed over and rippled down and away in a tiny stream, overhung by beautifully green ferns and water-plants, which were of themost luxuriant growth. 

"Looks good enough for a bath, gentlemen, when you've done, " said Smith. 

"Try your hands first, " said Oliver. "But wait a moment, " and he took alittle case from his pocket, and from it a glass tube with a mercurybulb. 

"Look at that!" whispered Billy Wriggs. "Tools for everything, mate. What's he going to do--taste it first?"

"I dunno, " said Smith, watching Oliver Lane attentively, as the youngman plunged the mercury bulb in the water, and held it there for a fewmoments, and then drew it out. 

"Go on, my lads, " he said. "Like some soap?"

As he spoke he took a small metal box out of his pocket, and opened itto display a neatly fitting cake of soap. 

"Look at him, " whispered Smith to his companion--"ay, tools foreverything. Thank-ye, sir, " he added as he took the soap, stepped downclose to the edge of the basin, and plunged in his hands, to withdrawthem with a shout of excitement. 

"What's the matter?" said Drew, laughing. 

"It's hot, sir. Water's hot!"

"Well, my lad, it is a hot spring. There's nothing surprising in that. We're in a volcanic land. "

"Are we, sir?" said the man, staring at him. "And is this volcanicwater?"

"Of course. "

"But where does it get hot, sir?"

"Down below. "

"What! is there a fire underneath where we are standing?"

"Yes; deep down. "

"Then where's the chimney, sir?"

"Out beyond that smoke and steam, I expect. There, wash your hands. It's not hot enough to scald your hard skin. "

"No, sir; take a deal hotter water than that; but if you'll excuse me, gents, I'll get away from here, please. It don't feel safe. "

"Give me the soap, " said Lane, handing his gun to Panton. 

"There, Smith, my lad, a man who comes to such a place as this mustn'tbe frightened at everything fresh he sees. "

"Oh, I'm not frightened, sir, not a bit, " said the man. "Am I, Billy?"

Wriggs grunted, and this might have meant anything. 

"Only you see, sir, " continued Smith, "it seems to me as it's a man'sdooty to try and take care of hisself. "

"Of course, " said Oliver Lane, as he laved his hands. "What beautifulsoft, silky hot water. We must come here and have a regular bathe. Itis nicely shut in. "

This to his companions, while Smith stood looking on in horror, andturned to his messmate. 

"Look at him, Billy! Ain't it just awful? Come away 'fore we gets letthrough, and are boiled to rags. "

"Hold yer tongue, " growled Wriggs. "You'll have the gents hear yer. Ask 'em to let us go back. "

"You'll have to analyse this water, Panton, " said Lane, as he went onwith his washing. "There must be a deal of alkali as well as carbonateof lime in solution. "

"Strikes me, mate, as it won't have us in slooshum?" whispered Smith. "Don't ketch me slooshing myself in it. "

The water assumed another shade of blue where Oliver Lane was washing, while Panton chipped off the petrification formed round the basin, andDrew examined some peculiar water-plants which grew just where the hotwater issued to form the little stream. 

"Be a fortune for anyone if he had it upon his own land in England, "said Panton. "Can you see where the spring rises?"

"Yes, down here in the middle, there's quite a pipe. This must besimilar to what we read about, connected with the geysers?" said Oliver. "Here, you two, don't be so cowardly. Come and wash. Catch!"

He threw the soap to Wriggs, who caught it, let it slip from hisfingers, and it went down into the beautiful blue basin of water with asplash. 

"There, fetch it out!"

Accustomed to obey, Billy Wriggs stepped forward, plunged in his hands, caught the soap, and kept his fingers beneath the surface. "Why, it'slovely, matey!" he cried reproachfully to Smith. "Here, come on. "

"Oh, very well, " was the reply, and the sailor approached the basin. "What's good for you's good for me, mate. Who's afraid? Well, I am!"

He was now kneeling, and was in the act of plunging in his hands, whenthere was a low gurgling noise, and, as if by magic, the water in thebasin was sucked rapidly down the round central hole that had beenalmost invisible, leaving the basin perfectly empty. 

"Nearly lost the soap, " said Billy Wriggs. 

"And I ain't got the wash, " cried Smith, in an ill-used tone. 

"Beg pardon, sir, what time'll it be high water again?"

_Bang! Roosh_!

"Murder!" yelled Smith, throwing himself backward and rolling over, forwith an explosion like that of steam, the water gushed up from thecentral hole, playing some twenty feet up in the air, filling the basinand deluging Wriggs before he could escape, and then dragging him backtowards the central hole, down which it began to run, while the manroared lustily for help. 

CHAPTER SEVEN. 

A CROCODILE. 

As soon as he could get upon his feet Smith ran as he supposed for hislife, but his messmate's call drew him back and he ran as quickly to hishelp. Too late though to render any assistance, for Drew, who wasnearest, leaned forward and caught Wriggs' hand, stopping his progresstoward the centre for the moment, and then his feet glided from beneathhim on the smooth, sloping tufa and he too went down, and had to beaided by Oliver and Panton, who drew both out just as Smith reached theedge of the basin. 

"Why don't yer mind!" roared the latter, excitedly. "Want to lie downthere in the hot water and drowned yerself?"

"No, matey, can't say as I do, " growled Wriggs, shaking himself as heedged farther and farther away. "But this here's about the dangerousestplace as I was ever in as I knows on. Been dowsed a good many times inmy life, but not like this here. Got yourselves very wet, gentlemen?"

"Oh, no, only splashed, " said Oliver. "Here, you two had better getback to the brig. "

Smith looked at his messmate. 

"Feared, mate?" he said. 

"Eh?" replied Wriggs, rubbing his ear well. "I dunno 'bout feared now. I'm werry wet. "

"Then go back and change your things, " said Oliver. 

Wriggs scratched his head now and hesitated. 

"Beg pardon, sir, I couldn't help letting go, 'cause I thought we wasall going to be sucked down that hole, and yer couldn't tell whether yerwas coming up again; and though I'm a tidy swimmer, I never tried hotwater; but if so be as you don't mind, me and my mate'd rayther go onalong with you. "

"But you're so wet, my lad. "

"Well, sir, that'll only be a job for the sun to dry us, and it's been agood wash for us and our duds too. "

"Oh, if you don't mind, " said Oliver; "I don't think it will hurt you. What do you say, Wriggs?"

"I didn't say nothing, sir; I was only squeezing the hot water out o' mytrowges. "

"But do you mind being wet?"

"No, sir. I was born aboard a canal boat, and often tumbled in and hadto be fished out by my father with the spitcher. I rayther like it. "

"That's right, Billy. You don't want to go back, do you?"

"No, matey, I want to continue on my travels, and see this here cur'usland; only if we air to have another adventer I should like it to be adry 'un, if it's all the same to the gents. "

"Then come along, " said Oliver, "you'll soon get dry. "

"Oh, yes, sir, " said Smith; "but if it's all the same to you, sir, Ishould like to know how that there thing works. "

"Ah! that's more than I can tell you, " replied Oliver, looking at thebasin, which was once more clear blue, and as smooth as if it had neverbeen disturbed. "It's a geyser, of course. "

"Yes, sir, " said Smith, as Oliver looked at him as if expecting he wouldspeak; "I thought it was some'at o' that sort. "

"And such things are not uncommon in volcanic countries. "

"Arn't they though, sir?" said Smith, with a puzzled expression. "Butit warn't byling hot. "

"Oh, no, not within some seventy degrees. "

"Then how come it to byle over, sir? Ain't that rather cur'us?"

"Yes, very curious indeed. "

"Yes, sir, and this seems to be a rather cur'us place. "

"Yes, Smith, and very grand and wonderful. We have been extremelyfortunate to get ashore in such a naturalist's paradise. "

"Paradise, sir?" said Smith, with rather a curious look. "Well, sir, Ishouldn't have called it that. "

"Look here, " cried Oliver to his two companions, "shall we wait and seeif the geyser plays again?"

"Oh, no, " said Drew, "I want to get forward. We shall have plenty moreopportunities, and this forest ahead looks grand. "

"Yes, come along, " cried Panton, rising from chipping a piece of rock. "Look here, this is evidently volcanic and full of iron. The mountainmust be tremendous. Do you think it is always shut in by those clouds?"

"No, " said Drew; "depend upon it they are caused by the late eruption. That tremendous roar was the end, and I fancy it was caused by the waterrushing in from the sea. This is only the steam rising. Here, Lane, you have fallen into the right place and can fill the British Museum ifyou are industrious. "

They were now coming to the end of the barren tract made by theearthquake wave sweeping the rock in places bare, in others covering thesurface with _debris_ of coral sand, rolled pebble and shell from thesea; but before reaching the band of verdure which stood at the top of aslope, they had to pass two or three depressions in which mud and waterstill lay, and upon reaching one of these they found to their surprisethat it was _far_ more extensive than they had anticipated. For therebefore them stretched acres upon acres of a muddy lagoon, dotted withislands, and evidently alive with fish swept in from the sea. 

"Hi! look-ye there, Billy Wriggs!" cried Smith, excitedly. "See that?"

"Course I can, matey; it's water. "

"Well, I know that, stoopid, but look what's in it. Over yonder on thatbank--there close alongside o' that lump o' white rock. "

"What of it?" said Wriggs. "Only a trunk of an old tree. "

"Ay, four-legged 'un, with a head and tail, having a nap in thesunshine. Why, it's one o' them eft things as we used to ketch with aworm in the ponds when we was boys. "

"Get out! You go and play tricks with some 'un else, matey, " saidWriggs, contemptuously. "Think I don't know no better than that?"

"You are a clever one, Billy, and no mistake, " growled Smith. "I neverdid see a chap more ready not to believe the truth. If you hadn't beenborn a Christian, mate, nobody wouldn't never have converted you, andyou'd ha' been a regular heathen savage all your days. "

"Go it, matey! Much more on it? Let's have it all while you're aboutit. "

"You shall, Billy, because a good talking to'll do you good, and knocksome o' the wanity out of you. You see, you don't know everything. "

"And you do, eh, Tommy?"

"Nay, not quite, " said Smith, giving his head a roll; "but I do know asthat's one o' the same sort o' things as I used to see lying in the mudas I was once going up to Calcutta. That's a halligator, matey, on'ysome folks calls the big uns crockydiles, and the niggers out theremuggers, 'cause they've got such ugly mugs. "

"What! do you mean to tell me as that log o' wood with the rough bark onit's alive?"

"Yes, all alive O!"

"Get out, " cried Wriggs, scrutinising the brute searchingly as it layabout fifty yards away. "That there's a trunk of a tree with all thebranches rubbed off. Well, I never did!"

For at that moment the reptile crawled a little further from the water, raised its head, and looked to right and left, and then subsided againin the hot sunshine, sinking partially into the mud. 

"Rummy sort o' tree that, eh, Billy?" said Smith. 

"Sort o' tree!" cried Wriggs, in a tone of thorough disgust. "Why, Icall it a himposition. What does a thing mean by going on like that? Icould ha' sweered as it warn't alive. "

"Hold your row, the gents is a-going to shoot. "

They stood watching, for Drew had been busy changing one of thecartridges in his gun for another containing a ball. 

"It's of no use to shoot it, " said Oliver, "and I don't think you couldhit it in a vital place. "

"I'm going to try, " said Drew quietly, as Panton followed his example. 

"Yes, " said the latter, "if we are to stay in this island or whatever itis, we can't afford to share the place with a creature like that. Thesethings are very dangerous. "

"Hist! Tommy, " whispered Wriggs, excitedly, "he can hear what theysays, and he don't believe they can hit him and hurt him. Did yer seehim smile?"

"Well, I call it a laugh, matey. Yes, they've got a nice open sort o'countenance, them crockydiles. What a time it must take'm to cleantheir teeth of a morning!"

"Ay, and to pick 'em after dinner. Would one o' them tackle a man?"

"Yes, or a cow either. They've got a way of--I say, just look at him. "

Wriggs was all attention, and the three naturalists as well; for, afteropening its mouth and displaying its tremendous gape, the reptile slowlyturned round so as to face toward the water from which it had crawled, and then subsided, lying so close and still in the sand and mud that itmore than ever resembled the trunk of some old tree. 

The position now for a shot was not so satisfactory, as it in allprobability meant the disappearance of the reptile at its first plunge;but all the same Drew raised his piece and gave his companions a sharplook, Panton raising his double gun as well for the next shot. 

But Oliver held up his hand. 

"Don't shoot, " he whispered. "I want to watch the brute for a fewminutes. Let's see. "

He had a reason for speaking; naturalist-like, he never lost anopportunity for observing the habits of the different creatures he cameacross, and he had noticed a couple of crane-like birds coming stalkingalong from the far side of the bank on their long stilt-shaped legs. Like everything the wrecked party had encountered, the birds seemed toknow no fear of man, acting as if they had never seen such a beingbefore. Hence they were coming straight over to the side opposite tothe little party. 

Oliver's little double glass was out in a moment, focussed and fixedupon the objects, while, with all a naturalist's love of the beautiful, he feasted upon the bright eyes, drooping crests, and lovely grey andwhite plumage of the two birds which showed in every way their wonderfuladaptability for the life they led. 

"Look here, " said Panton, "we want to shoot that loathsome reptile. "

"And I want to look at the cranes. If you fire you'll scare them. "

"Shoot them, then, " said Drew. 

"No, no, don't, or you'll startle the crocodile. I don't want to shootthem, " said Oliver; "I want to study their habits a bit, and they'll gointo the water here close to us. "

Just then the second crane, which was stalking gravely behind itscompanion, stopped short, and uttered a warning cry. It was too late. Simultaneously, the crocodile, which had been cunningly watching thebird; made a scythe-like blow with its tail, and swept the foremost, broken and helpless, into the lagoon. Then, springing up as the secondbird took flight, the reptile was making a rush for the water, whenDrew's gun spoke out, and Panton's followed with such good effect, thatthe crocodile's progress was checked, and it swung itself round to liewith its tail in the water, thrashing about, and raising a muddy spray, which spread for far enough, spattering upon the water like so muchdirty rain. 

"Just sarves you right, my smiling beauty, " cried Smith, excitedly. "Strikes me you won't break no more birds' legs for some time to come. Hit him again, sir. "

Drew's second barrel was fired as he spoke, for the reptile wasgradually working round, as if to plunge into the water, but the bulletit now received in the side of the head checked it, and a fourth fromPanton made it sink down almost motionless, save that it made a fewfeeble snaps with its jaws. 

"And I'm precious glad on it, " said Billy Wriggs, who had taken the mostintense interest in the affair. "Like me to walk in and fetch out thatthere bird, sir?" he continued, pointing to where the crane floated uponthe surface of the lagoon. 

"I should like the bird, " said Oliver, "but I don't think it would besafe for you to wade in, Wriggs. Perhaps it will float ashore. "

"I'm so wet, sir, a drop more water won't hurt me. "

"I was not thinking about your getting wet, " replied Oliver, who wasintently watching the bird, which was apparently quite dead, "but of therisk of your encountering another crocodile. "

"What, in there, sir--in the water?"

"Yes, I daresay there are several about. "

"Oh, " said Wriggs, softly, "I didn't think of that, " and he stoodscratching his head, and wrinkled up his face, as he looked at theprostrate reptile. 

"Didn't yer know as they was amphibilious animals, Bill, " said Smith, ina low voice. 

"What's amphibilious animals?" growled Wriggs. 

"Things as gets their living in the waters, and sleeps outside. "

"Oh, that's it, is it?" said the sailor, thoughtfully. "And what wouldone o' they chaps do, if he was to meet my legs? He couldn't hit outwith his tail in the water. "

"No lad, he'd hoperate with his head. "

"Then I don't think, Tommy, as we'll come here when we wants a swim, eh?"

"No lad. Strikes me that--I say; look ye there!"

The appeal was needless, for every one was looking toward where thelight breeze and the spreading rings caused by the lashing of thecrocodile's tail had carried the dead crane, which Oliver was longing toget as a specimen of bird life unknown, he believed, to science, for allat once, there was a faint, rippling movement visible close to it, thena violent agitation. A long, lithe creature suddenly made a dart partlyout of the water, and quick as lightning, they saw its yellowish foldswrapped round the bird, which was directly after borne down out ofsight. 

"Sea-snake, I think, " said Oliver, eagerly, in answer to his companions'questioning looks. 

"Hear that, Billy?" whispered Smith, giving his friend a nudge. 

"Oh, yes, I hear, " growled Wriggs; "says he thinks it's a snake, but itwarn't. I see it, and it was a heel. Didn't yer see how it tied itselfup in a knot round the long-legged bird? I say, I mean to set anight-line, and ketch that gentleman. Heels is about the best fish toeat as swims. "

"But aren't you going to wade across and fetch the crocodile over, Billy?"

"No, matey, I aren't. 'Cause why? It's much safer ashore. "

CHAPTER EIGHT. 

INTO THE MIST. 

The lagoon was skirted, and after rather a toilsome ascent among rockshalf smothered in creepers, the edge of the forest was reached, and ahalt called under the shade of a great fig-tree, among whose small, ripefruits a flock of brilliant little scarlet and green lories werefeeding; and here, seated about on the great, projecting roots, theparty partook of a delicious meal, feasting their eyes at the same timeupon the prospect around. For, from the elevation at which they nowwere, they were able to look right over the low land that had been sweptby the vast wave, to where there was another slight elevation clothedwith trees. 

As far as they could see, the low ground was spread with scatteredblocks of coral and lava, while here and there, little bright patchestold of shells that had been ground and polished thin by the action ofthe waves, and now showed their glistening, pearly material. 

Another look to the left across blocks of white coral, and over poolsslowly evaporating in the hot sunshine, showed the course the ship hadtaken from where the sea beat against the reef-girdled shore. It wasall plain enough; that was the edge of the land, with a belt of calm, blue water, and beyond that, as far as eye could reach to right andleft, a barrier reef of coral, upon which the great billows curved over, flashing in the sun, and crested with their soft, white foam. 

"It seems beyond belief, " said Oliver at last. "Who could imagine thatour vessel could be borne right inland here and set down upon an evenkeel almost uninjured?"

"And without the smallest chance of ever sailing the sea again, " saidPanton, quietly. 

"I say, look here, you two, we're not going to settle down here like somany Robinson Crusoes, are we!" cried Drew. 

"Only just so long, I say, as it will take us to make completecollections of the natural history of the place, " said Oliver, "for Ibegin to be in hopes that the land is quite new, and that no one hasever set foot upon it before. "

"Then you think it is an island?" said Drew, who was eating with onehand, collecting specimens of plants with the other. 

"If he doesn't, I do, " cried Panton, taking out a little bright steelhammer and beginning to chip at a block of stone held fast by one of theroots of the big tree under whose branches they were seated. "Look atthis--slag. I say that we are on a volcanic island, formed by amountain rising out of the sea and pouring out its streams of lava, andthrowing up its blocks and stones and cinders. "

"What about the coral, then? The place is covered with scatteredblocks. "

"Oh, those were carried in by the great wave, " continued Panton. "Oncean island like this is thrust up from the bottom of the sea, the coralinsects soon begin to be busy and build all round it. Look at the reefyonder. "

"Then you think the volcano is in the middle of the island?" said Drew, taking out his pocket lens to examine a tiny blossom. 

"That doesn't follow, " said Panton, oracularly, as he chipped off afragment of lava, which fresh fracture glistened brightly. "Themountain may be just at the edge of the island, possibly on a cape. Ishould say this one is, and cut off from sight by that wall of mist, which seems to be rising from a gulf extending right across. What areyou men muttering there about tools?"

"Beg pardon, sir, " said Smith, "I only said to my mate as you gentsseemed to have tools for everything. "

"There, " cried Oliver, "time's getting on, and I want to reach thatmist, get through, and see what the place is like on the other side. Ready?"

For answer the others sprang up, all being eager to see more of thecountry upon which they had been so singularly cast, and for the nexthour they were fighting their way through the dense forest, every cutand slash they made with their pocket-knives to rid themselves ofcreeper and thorn, destroying growth which was of intense interest toDrew, while Panton damaged his shins over blocks of stone he longed tochip, while dislodging insects and scaring birds and quadrupeds, ofwhich Oliver got but a glance. 

They were constantly stopping to mop their faces, for the heat wastremendous, and their progress very slow, but still they got on, someopen patch caused by the falling of a great tree rotted away by age, orstrangled by some creeper, giving them light and a breath of the softsea air overhead. 

Everything here was beautifully green and fresh, the eruption havingleft it unharmed, till, at the end of another tedious hour's work overgradually rising ground full of jagged rifts and tumbled togetherstones, which told of a convulsion of nature far back in some distantage, when, in place of towering forest trees all must have beenabsolutely bare and level. Smith, who was in front, cutting andslashing with his jack-knife, uttered a shout. 

"Land ho!" he cried, for they were evidently nearly through the sea ofverdure, the sky showing beneath the huge branches. 

"At last!" cried Oliver, who was panting with the exertion, while hiscompanions' faces were torn and bleeding. "We must get Mr Rimmer tolet the men cut a way through here. "

"Now then!" shouted Wriggs from somewhere ahead just then. "None o'them tricks. D'yer hear?"

"Come, come, my man, " said Drew, sternly, "keep to your work. This isno time for playing. "

"All right, sir, but please speak to Tommy Smith. Man don't want bignuts chucked at his head. "

"Who's a-chucking nuts?" cried Smith, indignantly, and he began to forcehis way back into sight of his companions. 

"Why, you did, and hit me just now. "

"Sweer I didn't!" cried Smith. "Here, hullo! Drop that, will you? Whowas that?"

A great nut, half as big as a man's head, had struck the speaker on theshoulder. 

"Why, there's someone up in that tree throwing at us!" said Drew. 

"Yes, I see him, " cried Wriggs, "that big tree, just where it's gettinglight. Here, I see you: leave off will yer?"

"It's the natives, sir, " said Smith, in a warning voice. "Get your gunsready, they'll be shooting pysoned arrows directly. "

"I see him plain, now, sir. He's only a little black chap. Yes, there's two on 'em. Well, upon my word, if they aren't two monkeys!"

Another big nut came with a crash through the branches and, beforeOliver could check him, Drew raised his gun and sent a shower of shotpeppering through the leaves over the heads of the two occupants of thegreat tree, with the result that two large apes went swinging from boughto bough, chattering indignantly, and disappearing at once. 

"You shouldn't have done that, " cried Oliver. "I wanted to have a lookat the creatures. "

"I daresay you'll have plenty more chances, for, if this proves to be anisland, they can't get away. "

"But the fact of there being large creatures here, proves that it is notan island, " said Oliver. 

"Not a bit of it, " said Panton, oracularly. "There are plenty ofislands peopled with animals, because they were occupants of continentsnow submerged. Look at Trinidad, for instance. That was once thenorth-east corner of North America, and all her flora and fauna arecontinental. "

"Oh, I say, don't be so horribly scientific, " cried Oliver, "let's getout into the open where we can breathe. Look at the butterflies in thatsunshiny patch. Really we have dropped into a land of wonders. "

"And stinging insects and thorns, " said Panton. "I say, what was thatrustling away through the leaves?"

"Snake, sir, big 'un. I see his tail wiggle, " cried Smith. 

"Better be careful, " said Oliver, gravely, "there may be poisonoussnakes about the edge of the forest. Ha! What a relief!"

For he had suddenly stepped out through a dense curtain of a creepingplant into the bright sunshine, to find that for some distance in frontthe earth was clothed with a low, bush-like growth; then there was abroad, blackish grey stretch of land, and again beyond that the veil ofvapour rising right across their way to right and left. 

The little party stood out for a few minutes looking round, with theportion of the island or peninsula they had left cut off now by theforest which rose right behind them like a huge green ridge of verdure. Then, full of excitement, they began to advance through the low bushestoward the long line of white vapour slowly curling like a bank ofclouds, for the one desire now among all was to stand face to face withthe mountain which had partially burned up the face of the beautifultropic land. 

It soon became evident that they were traversing a stretch of newlyspringing up trees, for everything was of a young and tender green, butafter a time there was a parched, dried-up aspect; then they came uponwithered patches, and by degrees the vivid green gave place to a dullparched-up drab and grey, every leaf and blade of grass being burned upor scorched by heat and some destructive gas. 

They hurried across this desolate band, for the wall of mist was but ashort distance in advance, and a curious feeling of eagerness attackedthe party, even to the two sailors. For beyond that curtain wasevidently the centre of the mysterious volcanic force which had beenanswerable for their presence there, and doubtless upon passing throughthe vapour behind which it was hid, they would be able to grasp theirfate; whether a certain amount of journeying would bring them to thehabitations of men, or show them that they were shut up in some unknownisle. 

"Come along, " said Drew, "and let's know the worst. "

"The worst!" cried Oliver. "You mean the best?"

"Well, we might be worse off, " said Panton, laughing; "but be careful, all of you. This steam, or whatever it is, may be rising from somegreat gulf, and mists are rather confusing. Shall I lead?"

"By all means, " said the others, and he stepped out for a few yards, andthen, to the surprise of Oliver, who was next, it was as if they hadentered the mist unconsciously, though it was thin to a degree, and theonly effect was to make Panton look magnified, so that twenty yardsfarther on he had grown as it were into a giant. 

Oliver looked back and saw that those who followed had the same aspect. 

"Don't see any rift or chasm, " said Panton; "but come cautiously, forthe ground feels soft and spongy. "

His voice sounded distant and strange to Oliver, who said loudly, --

"Is it bog, or are we getting on volcanic soil? I say, take care, theground's quite hot here. " For he was conscious now of a peculiarreeking as of steam, but his voice sounded as if it had been thrown backin his face, and, growing slightly uneasy, he turned round and called tothose behind him, --"Take care how you come. "

He stopped short, for there was no one in sight, and, turning sharply, the dim, giant-like figure which had represented Panton was invisible. 

"Hi! Panton, where are you?" he cried, in doubt now whether he hadturned completely round, and in his excitement he made a fresh step ortwo, then, feeling that he might have gone wrong, he tried to return, but only to become confused as he was conscious of the heat growingstifling, of a strange ringing in his ears, and either of a peculiardimness of vision or the sudden thickening of the mist. 

Then, with his heart beating heavily, he tried to raise his voice as heshouted with all his might, --

"Panton!--Drew! Where are you?"

There was a low hissing sound apparently rising from somewhere by hisfeet, otherwise all was silent as the grave. 

CHAPTER NINE. 

BEYOND THE CURTAIN. 

Oliver Lane's sensations were for the moment horrible. He knew now thatthe steamy vapour into which they had penetrated must be full of gasperilous to human life--that the emanations from the volcanic soil wereasphyxiating, and he completely lost his head, and tottered feebly hereand there. 

But in a few moments this passed off, for he made a desperate effort tocommand himself, knowing full well that if he did not act his case washopeless. His only chance was, he knew, to rush out through the mistinto pure air. But which way? He had lost all idea of the direction bywhich he had come; he dare not stoop down, and try to trace hisfoot-prints, because of the vapour being certainly more dense anddangerous closer to the surface, and all that was feasible was to make arush, chancing whether it was forward into greater danger, to right orleft, hoping only that his instinct would lead him back by the way hecame. 

Strong now in his intention, he drew a hot stifling breath, set histeeth and ran for a few yards; then staggered a few more, growing blind, and feeling that his senses were fast leaving him. Then his brainthrobbed, a peculiar trembling weakness came over him, and, almostunconsciously, he tottered along a few steps more, reeled, and fellheavily upon the ground. 

His senses did not quite leave him, for he knew that he was trying tocrawl through what seemed to him to be something like soft liquid opal, with its wonderfully bright tints before his eyes, bluish, golden, creamy, fiery, and pale, then there was a darkening around them as if hewere crawling into shadow; and again, directly after, as it appeared, hecould see a bright glow, toward which he involuntarily struggled, for itwas an instinctive effort now to preserve his life. And as he crawledonward, the glow grew brighter, he could breathe more freely, and thelight gradually assumed the hue of bright sunshine, where he fellpassive beneath the dense foliage of a huge tree. 

Everything was very dreamy now for a time. His head throbbed and feltconfused, and a sickly, deathly sensation made his brain reel. Bydegrees this passed away, and he lay gazing at the strange opalescentsomething through which he felt that he had passed, and by degrees herealised that he was watching the great curtain of mist made glorious bythe sunshine, and easily understood now why, in his strangesemi-insensibility, this had seemed to be a liquid through which he hadcrawled while breathing the strange mephitic air. 

"Then I did go in the right direction, " was his next thought, as hestill lay feeble and languid, and as if regaining his senses aftertaking some powerful opiate. 

He felt a kind of satisfaction at this, and luxuriously drew in greatdraughts of soft warm air. For it was a delight to breathe freely, andlie there without making any exertion. The trees were so green andbright, and the flowers of such delicious tints, especially those hecould see climbing up and up, and spreading their wealth of blossoms inone spot, till that was one lovely sheet of colour. 

"It doesn't matter. "

These words pretty well expressed Oliver Lane's thoughts for some timebefore he attempted to move. The past, save and except the dim memoryof his having been in some trouble in a mist and losing his way, had noexistence for him, and the young man lay there in a state of the mostintense egotism, utterly prostrate, but supremely content. 

Then all at once there was a change. 

He felt a sensation of discomfort, and his hand began to stray abouthim, and he found that his double-barrelled gun, slung by a strap acrosshis shoulders, was beneath his back, and the lock was pressing againsthis ribs. 

He changed his position so as to lay the gun beside him, and themovement shot an acute pain through his head. 

It did more; it sent a pang of mental agony through his brain; and hescrambled up to his knees, to bend down, pressing his hands to the sidesof his head as if to keep it from splitting apart as he recalled allnow, and stared wildly about him in search of his companions. 

The sensation of selfish enjoyment had all passed away, and he was infull possession of his faculties. 

He had found his way back, then, out of the mist, but where were they?

No; he was wrong; he had not found his way back as he fancied at first, for where they entered the land around was burned up and bare; hereeverything was glorious with tropic growth; there were lovelybutterflies, inches across the wing, and metallic in tint; brightlyplumaged birds, too, were darting past his eyes. He must have passedright through the mist to the farther side and reached the place theysought. 

He involuntarily turned, and there, about a couple of miles awayapparently, and rising far up in the clear blue sky, with a hugeball-like cloud suspended above the conical top, was the great volcano, bare, stern, and repellent, without a scrap of verdure to relieve theeye. It stood up tremendous in height, and in his rapid glance OliverLane could see how all round had been blackened, or charred into agreyish ash-colour, save in two places, where broad blackish bandsreached from a chasm near the top of the crater, right down the sides, till they were hidden by the tall trees still standing, and apparentlyspreading from the gentle eminence upon which he knelt for about a mile. 

Where, then, were his friends, he asked himself, and recovering his feetnow, he had to seize the nearest bough and hold on, for a suddengiddiness assailed him, and he nearly fell. But this passed off in afew moments, and he stood looking round to see if they too had passedthrough. 

But as far as he could see, he was alone in an open jungly spot, teemingwith all that was bright and beautiful in nature, and shut off from hiscompanions by the curtain of mist they had set out to pierce. 

He hailed and hailed again as loudly as he could, and a faint cryanswered him, but a few repetitions made him aware of the fact that itwas only his own voice, echoed back from the mountain-side, and astrange sense of loneliness and despair attacked him now. 

For as he recalled his own adventure, it was evident to him that he hadhad a very narrow escape from suffocation, the mist being evidently avolcanic exhalation, rising from the earth in a long low portionextending for miles in a curve, perhaps being the extent to which themountain had reached in some far-off time; in fact, there might havebeen an old crater here only a little raised above the sea. 

But he shook off the despondency, and fought back the idea that hiscompanions might have been overcome by the escaping gases, and forcedhimself to believe that if they were not somewhere on his side hiddenfrom him by the trees, they had safely made their way back to the sidefrom which they had started. 

He knew he had no grounds for all this, as they must necessarily havebeen as much confused and overcome as he, but he came to the conclusionwhich he wished to be true, and after mounting to the highest bit ofground in his immediate neighbourhood, he hailed again and again, listening patiently in the intervals for some reply. 

There was a musical piping whistle twice, and once he was aware of acurious grunting sound from some trees away to his right, and this wasrepeated on his hailing again. Then all was silent once more, and hestood, now looking round, now watching the line of mist from which hehoped to see his companions emerge. 

There were moments when he felt convinced that they had reached the sameside as he, and he set to work hurrying here and there as fast as thetangled growth of the pathless forest would allow, hailing from time totime, but all in vain, and at last, dripping with perspiration, pantingand exhausted, he leaned against a tree. 

He had something else to combat now besides weariness, a terriblefeeling of depression, for the thought would keep on coming withconstant recurrence that his friends had perished in the mist. 

He mastered this thought as the feeling of exhaustion passed away, andwas ready to laugh at the sense of dread caused by his loneliness. For, as he told himself, it was probably all imagination respecting hisfriends, and there was nothing to mind. He was only separated from thevessel by a comparatively short distance, and sooner or later an effortwould be made to reach him. It might not be possible to pass throughthe foul gases, but surely the long line of mist could be circumvented;and he climbed to the highest point he could then find to try and seeits ends. 

There was nothing to fear, for he had his gun, plenty of ammunition, anda little provision left. The place was wonderfully beautiful, andoffered a tempting number of objects to a naturalist, as soon as hecould make himself sufficiently calm to begin to investigate. 

And it was in the above spirit, feeling quite certain that sooner orlater he would see a party coming in search of him, he began to examine, turning his attention first towards the huge volcano, which rose up grimand forbidding away to the north, with the globular cloud poised overits highest part, which seemed as if cut right across in a slope. 

Once he could turn his thoughts from the idea of peril, he began to beinterested and eager; for he was in the position so dear to a lover ofnature, there in a land surrounded by bird and insect forms for the mostpart entirely fresh to him. 

But there were other things to think of first. Principally, there wasthat important discovery to make whether they were surrounded by thesea, and to try and find this out he sought a higher point than any hehad yet mounted, and, taking out his little glass, followed the face ofthe mist till it reached the glittering waters of the sea, and thentried to trace the coastline towards the volcano. 

This he was able to do with pretty good success, but as his glass wasdirected to the lower and eastern slope of the mountain, he found thathe was as wise as ever, for the base of the mighty cone completely shutoff all view in that direction. 

Turning to the mist again, he followed its edge to the west as far as hecould reach, but the inequalities in the surface baulked him here, andhe could not make out the sea in that direction. 

He closed his little glass and turned to the mist curtain, thatmysterious dim line glistening with opalescent colours, and determinedas a last resource to walk quietly as close to it as he could, beforethe gases began to affect him, then to draw back a few yards, take a fewdeep inspirations, so as to fully inflate his lungs, and then rushstraight through; for he argued to himself, if he could pass throughonce unprepared and taken by surprise, he could certainly reverse theaction. 

In this spirit, and so as to get a little encouragement and inspiritingfor another task--in other words, so as to enjoy the feeling that a wayof retreat was open to him--he walked back toward the depression alongwhich the vapour rose, examining every step of the way, and noticingthat by degrees all growth ceased as he approached, and that the groundgradually grew softer and then spongy to the tread, as if he werewalking over a bog. 

The air remained very clear and good to breathe as he went on nearer andnearer, seeing now that the fumes rose softly all along one jagged linesuch as might have been formed by the earth opening right before him. But there was no opening. As far as he could penetrate the dim mist, the earth looked perfectly level, but the vapour rose from it as it doesor appears to do from a swampy meadow on a fine autumn evening; and itwas evident to him that he might try and dash through without fear ofrunning headlong into some chasm. 

Just then, as he stood gazing down at the bottom of the curtain, theidea struck him that perhaps there had been a wide rift right across toright and left; that it had been filled up by volcanic matter, and thevapour was caused by this lava or hot liquid mud slowly cooling down. 

Convinced that this must be so, he had full endorsement of thecorrectness of his theory, for on lifting one foot to go on, he foundthat the other was sinking slowly, and a little further investigationshowed him that a faint thread of vapour was rising from the spot wherehis heel had been. 

The meaning of this barren space, and the reason for the earth feelingspongy, was plain enough now, and he knew that he was walking over somuch half-fluid volcanic pitch, whose surface was slightly hardened andformed the elastic springy band. 

If it gave way!

The thought was enough to make the stoutest shudder, and feeling nowthat his safety lay in movement, he took a few more steps towards thevapour, finding himself, before he was aware of the fact, and withoutthe slightest mistiness being visible, within its influence. 

He started away in alarm, for he was suffering from a slight attack ofvertigo, which did not pass off for a minute or two, and he walked, orrather staggered, back, with the tough elastic film over which he walkednow rising and falling with an undulatory motion beneath his feet. 

"Only as a last resource, " he muttered, as he breathed freely once more;and he could not repress a shudder as he stepped once more on solidground, plainly enough marked by the abounding growth, and graspingfully how horrible a quagmire of hot slime was hidden by the partiallyhardened crust over which he had passed. 

Turning his face now toward the mountain, he hesitated for a fewmoments, and then determined, as the distance seemed so short, to tryand do something now he was there; and in the intent of climbing a fewhundred feet up its side so as to get a view beyond, he marked out whatseemed to be the most open way, and started for the foot of the greatslope. 

CHAPTER TEN. 

A NIGHT IN THE FOREST. 

It required no little steady determination to attack that ascent. Oliver's nerves had been terribly shaken by that which he had gonethrough. The heat was intense beneath the trees, where hardly a breathof air reached him, and it was impossible to keep off the sense ofloneliness and awe brought on by the knowledge that he was in the homeof Nature's most terrible forces, and that the huge mountain in front, now looking so calm and majestic, might at any moment begin to belchforth showers of white-hot stones and glowing scoria, as it pouredrivers of liquid lava down its sides. At any moment too he knew that hemight step into some bottomless rift, or be overcome by gases, withoutcalculating such minor chances as losing his way in the pathlesswilderness through which he was struggling, or coming in contact withsome dangerous beast. 

But he set his teeth and toiled on, dragging thorny creepers aside, climbing over half-rotten tree-trunks, whose mouldering bark gave way, and set at liberty myriads of virulent ants. Once or twice he graspedleaves which were worse than the home-growing nettle. But he struggledon, though, with the feeling growing stronger, that if he got throughthe patch of forest before dark, it would be as much as he could manage, for the difficulties increased at every step. 

Suddenly he stopped short, and caught at the nearest tree-trunk to savehimself from falling, for the giddiness returned, and he stood panting, trying to master the horrible sensation by drawing a deeper breath. Then he clung more tightly to the tree, and knew what this sense ofvertigo meant; for it was no vapour that had overcome him, but thesensation of the earth heaving beneath his feet, with a strangequivering, as if some vast force were passing, and a dull muttering, asof subterranean thunder, made the tree quiver in his grasp. 

A few seconds later, as he waited for a repetition of the earth-tremor, knowing now full well that he had for the first time experienced acouple of earthquake shocks, there came from away in front a deep heavyboom, following a strange rushing sound, evidently from the summit ofthe volcano--the huge safety-valve from which the pent-up forces of theearth escaped to the open air. 

Oliver struggled forward a few yards into a clearer spot, where he couldjust catch a glimpse of the crater of the mountain, and, as he hadexpected, there was the great globe-like cloud riven into rags ofvapour, while dark-looking bodies were falling in various directionsabout the summit. 

As he gazed, the rain of falling fragments ceased, and the torn-upflecks of cloud seemed to be drawn slowly together again by the currentsof air on high, first one and then another coalescing, as the tinyglobules of spilt mercury glide one into another, till all are taken up. And it was so here, the mysterious attraction blended the flyingvapours into one great whole, which floated above the mouth of theburning mountain. 

"And I might have been somewhere on the slope, when that burst of stoneswas falling, " thought Oliver. "Still, I might climb up a hundred times, and no eruption occur. I'm getting cowardly, instead of beingaccustomed to the place. "

He smiled to himself as he marked the top of the mountain, and aimed asstraight as he could for its side, before plunging again into thebewildering maze of trees, whose wide-spreading foliage made all beneatha subdued shade. 

But a dozen steps had not been taken before he stopped short, with hisheart beating, and listened eagerly, for a distant shout had fallen uponhis ear, coming as he felt sure from behind him, and to the right. 

Then there was utter silence for a few seconds, before a second shoutarose, to be heard plainly enough, but away to his left. 

His heart sank again, and the hope died out. That was no cry uttered byone of his companions, but came from a savage, or some wild beast, whichhe could not say, but he suspected that it must be from one of the apesof which they had seen specimens that morning. 

There it was again, rather a human cry, such as a boy might give vent toin a wood, when calling to his fellows, and a few moments afterwards thesound was repeated. 

Whatever animals they were who called, they were answering each other, and certainly coming nearer. 

The remembrance of the strange-looking face he had seen peering throughthe leaves directly after the great nut had struck Wriggs, came back toOliver as he resumed his arduous journey, now finding the way easierwhere the bigger trees grew, now more toilsome where there was anopening caused by the fall of some forest monarch, which had rent apassage for the sunshine, with the consequence that a dense mass oflower growth had sprung up. 

In these openings, in spite of heat and weariness, the young naturalistforgot all his troubles for a few brief moments in his wonder anddelight, till the knowledge that he must push on roused him once more toaction. For there before him were in all their beauty the variousobjects which he had come thousands of miles to seek. Beetles with wingcases as of burnished metal crawled over leaves and clung to stems;grotesque locust-like creatures sprang through the air, through whichdarted birds which in their full vigour and perfect plumage looked ahundred times more beautiful than the dried specimens to which he wasaccustomed in museums and private collections. Here from a dry twigdarted a kingfisher of dazzling blue, not upon a fish, but upon abeetle, which it bore off in triumph. Away overhead, with a roar like adistant train, sped a couple of rhinoceros hornbills, to be succeeded bya flash of noisy, harsh-shrieking paroquets, all gorgeous in green, yellow, crimson and blue, ready to look wonderingly at the intruder upontheir domain, and then begin busily climbing and swinging among thetwigs of a bough, whose hidden fruit they hunted out from among theleaves. 

One tree close at hand was draped with a creeper of convolvulus-likegrowth, hanging its trumpet-shaped flowers in every direction, ready fora number of glittering gem-like birds to hover before them, and probethe nectaries for honey or tiny insects, with their long curved bills. So rapid in their movements were some of these, that their insect-likebuzzing flight was almost invisible to the watcher, till they hoveredbefore a blossom in the full sunshine, when their burnished, metallicplumage, shot with purple, crimson, and gold, flashed in the sun's rays, and literally dazzled the eye. 

Oliver was in the home of the sun-birds, the brilliant little creatureswhich answer in the old world to the humming-birds of the new, withtheir crests and gorgets of vivid scales. 

"It's grand, it's wonderful, " he muttered, with a sigh. "But I must geton. "

He forced his way through these openings, with the birds so tame that hecould easily have knocked them down with a stick, or caught them with abutterfly-net. But leaving his collecting for a future time, he pressedon, satisfied with the knowledge that he was in the midst of nature'swonders, for the farther he progressed the more was he impressed withthe conviction that he and his companions had happened upon a placewhich exceeded the most vivid paintings of his imagination, so rich didit reveal itself in all they desired. 

The progress he made was slower and slower, for he was nearly at the endof his forces, and the matted-together tangle seemed in his weakness togrow more dense. Where there was opening enough overhead he could seethat the sun was sinking rapidly, and he knew that it would be darkalmost directly it had disappeared. 

"It is hopeless, " he said to himself; "I shall never get out to-night;"and with the idea forced upon him that he must be on the look-out for aresting-place, or an opening where he could light a fire, and, ifpossible, at the foot of some tree, in whose branches he could makehimself a shelter, he still toiled on. 

This proved to be a less difficult task, for before long, as he creptbeneath the tangle of a climbing cane-like palm, he saw that it was morelight ahead, and in a few minutes he reached one of the naturalclearings, close to a huge short-trunked, many-branched fig. There wasdead wood in plenty, shelter, and fruit of two kinds close at hand, while, greatest treasure of all, a tiny thread of water trickled amongsome ancient, mossy fragments of volcanic rock, filling a littlebasin-like pool with ample for his needs. To this he at once bowed hishead and drank with avidity, sublimely unconscious of the fact that atiny, slight, necklace-like snake was gliding over the moistened rockjust overhead, and that a pair of bright gem eyes were watching hisevery motion from the great fig-tree, where its branches rose in acluster from the trunk. 

"Hah!" sighed Oliver, as he rose from his long deep drink. "What aparadise, but how awfully lonely!"

He noted then that the top of the mountain was in view, but apparentlyno nearer; and setting to work he soon collected enough wood for a fire, and lit it as a protection, before gathering some of the little figs andsome golden yellow fruits from a kind of passion-flower, both provingagreeable to the palate. These supplemented by the food he had in asatchel, formed a respectable meal, which he ended as the last lightdied out; while before him as he sat by his fire there was a greatglowing ball of light high up, one which resolved itself into the cloud, evidently lit up by the glowing lava within the crater. 

"A nice companion for a traveller, " said Oliver, half aloud. "Now, then, for my cool lofty bedroom in the tree-fork. I wonder whether Ishall sleep?"

His inner consciousness said immediately "No;" for as he made his way inamong the buttress-like roots of the tree to try and climb up, therecame from within a few feet of his face a deep-toned snarling roar. 

CHAPTER ELEVEN. 

A FIGHT WITH FATE. 

"Aren't had a drop, sir. Swear I aren't, " cried Smith. 

"Silence man, silence, " said Panton, as he sat upon the burnt-up earth, holding his head with both hands, while Wriggs staggered about close athand, laughing idiotically. 

"But I can't, sir, " cried Smith, in a whimpering tone. "If I'd beenashore somewhere and met mates, and we'd been standing treat to oneanother, I wouldn't keer, but I'm sober as a hundred judges, that I am. "

"Will you be silent, man? I want to think, " said Panton, as he rockedhimself to and fro. 

"Yes, sir, d'reckly, sir, but don't you go thinking that of a man. Iknow I can't stand straight, for all the bones has gone out of my legs, and soon as I move I go wobble-wobble like cold glue. "

"Yes, yes, I know, I'm unsteady, too, " said Panton impatiently. 

"But is it fits, sir? And do they take you like that?"

"No, no, my man, I suppose it's the gas. "

"Gas, sir, " cried Smith, looking round stupidly. "What's it beenescaping again? Gammon, sir: they aren't got no gas out here. I say, Billy Wriggs, don't make a hexibition of yourself. Keep quiet, willyer?"

"I can't, mate. It's a rum 'un, it is. What have the guvnors beengivin' of us to drink?"

"I d'know, Billy. But do stand still. "

"I can't, mate, my legs will keep going and gettin' tangle up like onealong o' the other, and knocking themselves together. "

"Then lie down afore I hits yer. "

"You won't hit me, Tommy, " said the man, with a silly laugh. 

"Tell yer I shall. You aggravate me so, doing that there. "

"Will you two men leave off talking?" cried Panton, angrily. "I can'tthink. Your words buzz in my brains like a swarm of bees. Ah, I haveit now. Where is Mr Lane?"

"Mr Lane, sir?" said Smith, feebly, as he looked round, and then withhis eyes staring and blank, he began to feel in his pockets. 

"Yes, yes, man. Where is he?"

"I d'know sir. I aren't seen him. Where's Mr Lane, Billy? You gothim?"

Wriggs chuckled as if he had been asked the most ridiculously comicquestion he had ever heard. 

"I d'know, matey, " he said. "It's o' no use to ask me. "

Smith lurched at him with his fists clenched, as if about to strike, butthe intention was stronger than the power, and resulted in the sailorblundering up against his mate, and both going down together, and thensitting up and staring at each other in a puzzled way as if they foundit impossible to comprehend their position. 

At that moment Drew came staggering toward them out of the mist with hisgun over his shoulder and his head down as he gazed at the ground, looking as if at any moment he would fall. 

"Ah!" cried Panton, excitedly. "I had quite forgotten you, Drew. "

"Eh?" said the botanist, stopping short. "Someone call?"

"Yes; I--Panton. Come here. "

"He's got it, too, Billy, " said Smith. "I say, what's the matter withall on us? Was it that water we drunk?"

"No, I aren't drunk!" cried Wriggs, suddenly dropping his good-temperedidiotic manner. "If you says I'm drunk, Tommy Smith, I shall hit yer. Smell that!"

He placed a big tarry fist close under his messmate's nose, and then, asif amused thereat, he began to laugh again. 

"I never said such a word, Billy, " said Smith, taking the big fist, opening it out again, and clapping his hand into it loudly beforepumping it affectionately up and down. "I said it was the wa--_tlattlat tlat_--Oh, I say, matey, I am thirsty. "

"Eh?" said Drew, dreamingly, in answer to a question. "Where's Lane?Yes, where's Lane?"

"Ah!" cried Panton, starting up now, and looking wildly round. "Yes, Iunderstand, I think. It was the gas--the volcanic gas in that mist. For heaven's sake rouse yourself, Drew. Lane's in there still, and wemust fetch him out. Here, all of you come and help. "

He made for the pale, misty curtain before them, but only tottered a fewsteps, and then fell heavily upon his face with a groan. 

"He's deal worse than us is, " said Smith, who was now beginning to thinkmore clearly. "Billy, old man, it was that water we drank, and thenatives have been pysoning it to kill the fishes, and killed usinstead. "

"Eh! What!"

"Native savages been trying to pyson the fishes, and pysoned us instead, matey. I said it afore, Billy Wriggs--I says it again, and I'll go onsaying on it for a week if that'll do you any good. "

"I'm all right, matey. I'm all right, Tommy. But what do the nativesavages want to pyson the fishes for? Never did the savages any harm. "

"Billy Wriggs, you'd better get a noo head, mate, and send this one tobe cleaned. "

"Ay! You're right, mate, for this here one won't go at all. Feels asif some'un had been sifting sea-sand into the works. But what had thefishes done?"

"Nothing. Pyson 'em to float atop, and ketch 'em to eat. Now come andhelp sooperior officers as have tumbled down all of a heap. "

As he spoke, Smith rose from the ground to which he had fallen, andreeled toward Panton and Drew, slowly, and as if he could only see themdimly at a distance, while Wriggs followed his example, and came on in azigzag, idiotic way. 

Suddenly Smith stood up erect, and uttered a hoarse cry, as he staredwildly at his companions. 

"Here!" he yelled. "Help! I know now. Mr Lane. He went in therewith us, and he aren't been out. Come on!"

His strength and honest manly feeling had come back with the flash oflight which had illumined his brain, and rushing straight for the mist, they saw him begin to grow bigger as if looked at through a magnifyingglass, increasing in size till he was monstrous, indistinct and blurred, and then completely disappear. 

The man's cry and subsequent action roused them, and all staggered afterhim with their power of thinking clearly returning, and with it afeeling of horror as they grasped the fact that two of their party werenow lost in the strange belt of vapour, whose fumes had so strangelyovercome them. 

"We must help them, " cried Panton wildly. "Come on: follow me. "

He started for the mist before them, but before he could reach it, Smithstaggered and reeled out, striking against him, and then catching hisbreath as if he had been held under water, or as a man rises to thesurface after being nearly drowned. 

"Stop!" he panted, with his eyes seeming to start out of his head. "Youcan't go. A man can't breathe in there. I'll try again, d'reckly, gentlemen, but--but! oh, the poor, brave, handsome lad! I--I--"

The big, strong, rough fellow's voice became indistinct, and the sobsrose to his throat, nearly choking him in the weakness he vainly stroveto hide. 

"Come, come, " said Panton hoarsely, as he supported the man, Drew tryinghard the while to shake off the effects of the vapour and be of someservice. 

"He liked him, gents, " growled Wriggs, an the strange intoxicationseemed now to have passed off. 

"Yes, " cried Smith, hysterically. "Course I did, gentlemen, and I'mgoing in again to try and fetch the poor lad out. But, " he continuedfeebly, "you can't breathe in there, and it takes hold on yer somehowand sucks the strength out of yer. It's like when poor Joe Noble wentdown in the hold among the foul air, and it killed him right off atwunst. "

"There, hold up, " said Panton, firmly now. "I'll go this time. "

"Yes, sir, and we'll go together and take hold of hands, " cried Smith. 

"Ay, all on us, " growled Wriggs, "and take hold o' hands and fetch himout afore we've done. "

Drew said nothing, but as Wriggs caught hold of Smith's hand, he seizedPanton's, and, moved as if by one mind, they stepped quickly forward, feeling at the end of a dozen paces that there was a difference in theair they breathed, which grew thicker as their sight became less clearand their motions more heavy. 

But hand clenched hand with more convulsive violence, and in step theykept on till first one and then another reeled and staggered, and it wasonly by turning suddenly round and stumbling back over their track thatthey were able to reach the free fresh air before, to a man, theystaggered and fell to the ground. 

Panton was the first to speak. 

"I'd try again, " he groaned, "but I have not the strength. "

"Ay, and I'd go, sir, but it's as I said!" cried Smith piteously. "Think he can be alive yet?"

"Heaven only knows, " sighed Panton, as he tried to sit up, but sank backagain, while Drew turned his face toward them and gazed at hiscompanions with a strangely vacant expression that in its helplessnesswas pitiful to see. 

"Tommy!" gasped Wriggs suddenly, as he lay flat on his face, "hit me, will yer, matey--hit me hard. That there feeling's come all over meagain, and I don't know what I'm a doing, or what I'm a saying. It'sjust as if I'd been struck silly and my legs had run away. "

"Try--try again, Smith, " groaned Panton. "Give me your hand. I think Iam stronger now. "

"Not you, sir, " replied the sailor. "Here, hi! Billy Wriggs, whatcherdoing on?"

For the man had slowly raised himself upon his feet again, and wastottering toward the mist. 

"I'm a-going, matey, to fetch that there young natooralist out o' yonderif I dies for it: that's what I'm a-going to do. "

He spoke in a low muttering growl, and the man's looks and actions as hereeled and groped his way along were those of one stupefied by somestrong narcotic. 

"But yer can't do it, lad, " cried Smith, rising to his knees. "Comeback. "

"I'm a-going to fetch out that there young natooralist, " mutteredWriggs, as he staggered on. 

"But I tell yer yer can't, " shouted Smith. 

"Quick, let's try again, " said Panton, struggling to his feet once more, and now with Smith also erect and grasping his hand, they two came on inWriggs' track, just as Drew rolled over quite insensible. 

They did not advance a dozen paces, for Wriggs, who had tottered onstrong in his determination to do that which his nature forbade, gave asudden lurch and fell heavily, head in advance, and the others knew thathe must be within the influence of the mephitic vapour. 

It was hard work to think this, for, as Smith afterwards said, it waslike using your brain through so much solid wood; but in a blindhelpless fashion they tottered on, and, bending down, each caught one ofthe man's ankles, and dragged him back by their weight more than by anymechanical action of their own, each movement being a kind of fallforward and the natural recovery. The result was that step by stepWriggs was dragged from where the vapour was inhaled till Drew wasreached, and they sank upon the bare burnt earth again, bewildered, andlacking the power to think, as if the mists had gathered thickly intheir brains, and they could do nothing else but lie and wait for thereturn of strength. 

CHAPTER TWELVE. 

THE HELP THAT CAME. 

Hours passed, during which the little party lay utterly exhausted andovercome, sunk in a deep sleep, which partook more of the nature of aswoon. They were only a few yards away from the mist, and in such aposition that, had a breeze arisen to waft it toward them, theprobabilities were that they would never have awakened more. 

It was Panton who first slowly opened his eyes to look round and gazewonderingly at his companions, then at the golden mist, whose deeperfolds were orange and warm soft red. 

For it was evening, and as he turned toward the sinking sun it was someminutes before it occurred to him that it would be tropic night almostdirectly after, and that his companions should be roused. At the samemoment came the recollection of why they were there, but without thestrange confusion from which he had before suffered, the long sleephaving carried it off. 

The others started into wakefulness at a touch, and stood staring at himhelplessly. 

"Are you ready to try again?" he said in a low voice full of emotion. 

"Yes, " came spoken simultaneously. 

"Then come on, we must find him now. "

He took a step or two forward, and the others followed, but a momentlater Smith seized him by the arm. 

"No, sir, " he cried. "It won't do, and I should be no man if I let yougo. "

"Loose my arm!" cried Panton, angrily. "Recollect, sir, who you are!"

"I do, sir, " said the man stoutly; "but you're not my officer, only apassenger; and if our poor old captain was alive, or if Mr Rimmer washere, he'd say I was quite right. "

"What do you mean, sir?" cried Panton, whom the exposure to the mephiticgases had left irritable and strange. 

"I mean, sir, as it's my dooty to stop you from going to sartain death, and you may say what you like, and call me what you like, but me and mymate, Billy Wriggs, is going to stop you, so there. "

"Such insolence!" cried Panton angrily. 

"All right, sir. You're going to do as I do, aren't you, Billy?"

"Course I am, Tommy. And you give in, sir. He's got a horful long headhas Tommy Smith, and what he says is right; we aren't going to let yougo. "

"Cowards!" cried Panton angrily. 

"That's right, sir, you just go on like that a bit, and call us names. It'll ease your mind ever so. We don't mind, do we, Billy?"

"Not us, " growled Wriggs. "He's right, sir. Give it to us. "

"Brutes!" cried Panton, as the darkness began to approach with wonderfulspeed. "Here, Drew, we must go together. We cannot desert our comradeat a time like this. "

"No, " said Drew, "it would be the act of cowards if we could doanything; but the men are right. You cannot go. "

"What? You side with them? Cowards! Yes, worse. How could we everface his friends unless we had striven to the last?"

"We have striven to the last, man. Look! In a few minutes it will beblack night, and to attempt to plunge into that horrible vapour would bemadness, weakened and overwrought as we are. "

"I thought so, " cried Panton. "The poor fellow has but one who willmake a fight for him. "

"Stop!" cried Drew, clinging to his arm. 

"Let go!"

"I say you shall not. "

"Let go, or take the consequences, " cried Panton furiously, and heraised his gun as if to strike at his companion with the butt. 

"Here, Smith, Wriggs, help me, he is half mad. He must not, he shallnot go alone!"

"Then come with me, cowards!" cried Panton. 

"No, sir, we aren't a coming to see you die, " said Smith quickly, as heseized the hand which held the gun. "Now, Billy, ketch hold behind. "

The struggle began, but it was a vain one. No one present was giftedwith much strength; but it was three to one, and as the darkness fellthe four shadowy forms looked dim and strange, writhing here and there, Panton striving hard to free himself from the restraining hands as hemade a brave fight, but gradually growing weaker till, all at once, Wriggs, who had retained his position behind during the struggle, suddenly clasped his hands round the poor fellow's waist, and lifted himright from the ground. 

"That's got him, " he growled. "Now, Tommy, you get hold on his legs, and we'll lie him down. "

"Right!" cried Smith, and in this ignoble way Panton would the nextminute have been thrown down, had not a shout suddenly come out of thegloom behind them. 

The effect was magical. 

Smith let go of Panton's legs, and Wriggs unclasped his hands to placethem to his mouth and give forth a tremendous yell. 

"Ahoy! Ship ahoy!" he cried. 

"Ahoy!" came from very near at hand, followed by a couple more distantcalls, and another so faint as hardly to be heard. 

"Ahoy! Here away!" shouted Smith, and the next minute there werefootsteps, and a familiar voice said, --"Where are you?"

"Here!" cried Drew eagerly. 

"Thank goodness!" cried Mr Rimmer. "Found you at last. I was afraidsomething had happened to you, gentlemen. Ahoy!"

His shout, intended to rally his followers, was echoed four times, andas soon as he had replied he turned to the breathless party. 

"Hallo, gentlemen, been running?" he cried. "I didn't like to leave youlonger for fear anything might have gone wrong, so I came on with half adozen men. How plaguey dark. Hallo! Where's Mr Lane?"

There was an ominous silence and Mr Rimmer repeated his question. 

"Don't say anything has happened to the lad, " he cried. 

Then Drew spoke and told him all. 

"What, and you stand there like that without making another try!" saidMr Rimmer fiercely. 

"There! You hear?" cried Panton. "I'll go with you, Mr Rimmer. Thepoor fellow must be saved. "

"By acts, Mr Panton, not by talking, " said the mate, sternly. "Thisway, my lads, " he cried, as first one and then another of the _Planet's_crew hurried to his side. "Here's fresh work for you, I've found someof the party, but young Mr Oliver Lane's missing. Volunteers to findhim?"

"All on us, sir, " came eagerly. 

"That's right, " said the mate. "Now, then, which way did he go in?"

"Mr Rimmer, you don't know the danger!" cried Drew. 

"No, sir, nor don't want to till after the job. Now, then, point outthe nearest spot as far as you can recollect. "

"I think I can guide you, " said Panton. 

"Hold hard, please, sir, just a moment, " cried Smith. "You don't knowwhat it is, sir, as you're going to do. "

"Silence, sir! who spoke to you?" snapped the mate. "Wait till youradvice is asked. "

"Tommy Smith's quite right, sir, " growled Wriggs. 

"Silence, sir. "

"Right, sir, but I stands by my mate, " growled Wriggs. 

"Now, then, Mr Panton, I am waiting. Quick!"

"I cannot let you go into that terrible danger without making anotherprotest, " cried Drew. "Mr Rimmer, we have done everything that mancould do in the way of trying to save the poor lad's life. "

"Possibly, Mr Drew, but I have not done all I mean to do. Now, then, Mr Panton, forward. "

The gentleman addressed stepped forward at once, and with the mate andthe six men who had accompanied him close behind entered the curtain ofmist, invisible now save as increasing the darkness and shutting out thesparkling stars. 

"No, no, don't you go, Smith, " cried Drew just then, as the sailor madea movement to follow the others. 

"But he'll think I'm scared, sir, if I don't go, " cried Smith. 

"Ay, I am coming, too, Tommy. "

"No; it is utter madness, " cried Drew. "Stand here both of you, readyto help them when they come out. "

"Mean it, sir?" cried Smith. 

"Yes, of course, man. "

"Hear that, Billy. Well, the mate didn't tell us to come arter him, andthey're safe to come back. "

"Ay, they air--if they can, " said Wriggs gruffly. 

"Ah, if they can, mate. That's a true word, " cried Smith, "Hi! Lookout. They've had enough of it a'ready. "

For at that moment one of the sailors ran staggering back through thedarkness and fell heavily. 

"Help, someone, help!" came in the mate's voice, and by a tremendouseffort he too staggered out, half bearing, half supporting Panton, andboth falling heavily before they could be supported. 

"Hi! All of you this way!" roared Smith, but his words were evidentlynot heard. However, they were unnecessary, for first two together andthen three, the party of sailors tottered out overcome by the fumes, only one of them being sufficiently master of himself to sit down andhold his head; the others fell prone on the dry burnt ground. 

"They'll believe us now, " said Smith with a dry laugh. 

"Man, man, don't talk. Try and help them, " cried Drew. "Hah, lookhere. "

"Can't, sir! too dark. "

"Feel those men whether they have water-bottles with them; Mr Rimmerhere has. "

"Right, sir. Here's one. "

"Give them water, then, " cried Drew, setting the example and pouringsome of the cool fluid between the lips of first Panton, and then of themate. But it was some minutes before it had the slightest effect, andthere was a time when it seemed as if a fresh calamity was to be addedto their other trouble. 

But first one and then another began to mutter incoherently beforesinking into a heavy sleep, the mate, who was the most vigorous manpresent, having the hardest fight of all, and when he did cease babblingas he lay there in the darkness there was a coldness of hand andweakness of pulse that was startling. 

Then came a weary time of waiting in the darkness beneath the glitteringstars till all at once Smith suggested that he should light a fire. 

"We don't want it to warm ourselves, sir, " he said, "but it'll make theplace more cheery like and keep off the wild beasties if there are anyabout. "

"Where are you going to get your wood from, matey?" growled Wriggs. 

"Ah, I never thought o' that, mate. There aren't none about here, that's certain. "

"And you don't want none, " cried Wriggs, for suddenly the mist was litup by a bright glare of light and above it the globular-looking cloudbecame illuminated as if from some burst of light below. "That's goodenough to see by, aren't it?"

Drew rose to his feet to stand gazing wildly at the bright illuminationwhich showed plainly enough the overcome men lying in uneasy attitudesas they had fallen. 

The two sailors sprang to their feet, for there was a quivering motionof the earth, whose surface heaved as does a cloth held at the cornersand shaken. The next moment there was a tearing, splitting soundrunning apparently toward them, and by the reflected light, there, plainly enough, a rift could be seen opening slowly, more and morewidely, and evidently going straight for where Panton lay. 

"Earthquake!" shouted Drew. "Quick! help!!" But the two men stoodshivering and helpless as if unable to stir, and the fate now of theyoung geologist and the mate seemed to be sealed. 

CHAPTER THIRTEEN. 

BILLY WRIGGS' BACCY-BOX. 

It was dull, heavy, slow-going Billy Wriggs who saved their lives. Onemoment he stood scratching his head, the next he had made a rush like abull, thrown himself down on his side, and somehow managing to get agood grip of the mate's waistband, had swung him over towards Smith. 

"Run him farder away, " cried Wriggs, and he shuffled himself then toPanton just as the rift opened widely. 

There was a quick rustling sound, and a dull thud as Panton was grippedhard--flesh as well as clothes, and swung over the sailor intocomparative safety. 

But it was at the man's own expense, for he began to glide downward in aslow, gradual way, first his legs, then his body, till only his chestwas visible as he dug his fingers into the ground and tried to hold on. 

At such a time it might have been expected that the man would shriek outin agony and despair, slowly subsiding as he was into a rift whichpromised a death so horrible, that those who looked on were paralysedfor the moment beyond affording help; but Billy Wriggs' words did notindicate suffering or terror, only a good-hearted friendly remembranceof his messmate, for he shouted out as if by way of farewell, --

"Tommy, old mate, I leave yer my brass baccy-box. "

The words galvanised Smith into action. He had seized and draggedPanton away in time, but as he saw his companion sinking into the crackwhich grew slowly longer and wider, he stood with his eyes staring andjaw dropped till the words "baccy-box" reached his ears. Then he made arush to where Wriggs' head and shoulders only remained above ground, stooped quickly, and seized him by his thin garment, and held on, checking further descent and gazing wildly at his messmate, whose ruggedfeatures upturned to the red glow of light appeared to be singularlycalm and placid. 

"Steady, mate, " he said mildly. "Don't tear my shirt. "

"Won't I!" cried Smith, savagely. "Where's that theer box?"

"Breeches' pocket, mate. "

"That's you all over, " snarled Smith, as his hands got a better grip, first one and then the other, and his voice sounded like an angry growlbetween his set teeth. "Promise--a chap--a box--and then--going to takeit with yer. Yer would, would yer? But yer just won't. "

"Let me take my skin, then, " cried Wriggs. "Don't tear it all off, " ashe winced beneath the savage grip which checked his descent. 

"Nay I weant, mate, " growled Smith. "I wants it, too, and hold tight, Billy, the deck's giving way. Heave ho!"

Smith threw himself backward as he made a tremendous heave, and none toosoon, for a great patch of the earth at the side gave way where hestood. But he had thrown all a strong man's force into one mightyeffort, and as Drew stood trembling and helpless, he saw the two menclasped in each other's arms, rolling over and over into safety, just asa horrible fume rose from the rift which now ran on in a zigzag split, like a flash of lightning in shape, and as rapid. Then followed a sharpreport as of subterranean thunder and the earth closed again. 

"Would yer bite--would yer bite!" grumbled Wriggs, as he stared at theearth. 

"Well, of all the onsartain dangerous places as ever I was in, " saidSmith, in a low growl, "this here's about the worst. "

"Ay, 'tis mate, " said Wriggs. "Sea's safest arter all. I say, though, "he continued as he softly rubbed himself about the ribs, "might ha' tookhold of a fellow a bit easier, Tommy. You've made me feel all loose. "

"Sarve yer right, chucking yerself down like that. Why, if it hadn'tbeen for me, you'd ha' been nipped fast there. Now, then, where's thatthere 'bacco-box? Hand over. "

"Nay, I said I'd leave it to yer, mate. I was making o' my will. Goingto use it a bit longer, mate, but I'll give yer a quid. "

"What an escape, my lads, " panted Drew, who now came up and shook handswith them both warmly. 

"Well, it weer pretty close, sir, " said Wriggs, as he went on gentlyrubbing his sides. "But I'm beginning to think as Tommy Smith hadbetter ha' left me alone. His fingers is as hard as a brass statoo's. But there, mate, I forgives yer. How's the gents, sir?"

Drew shook his head, and after the mate and Panton had been carried somelittle distance from where the earth had split open and re-closed, theparty seated themselves in a despondent state to watch the golden cloudwhich hung high in air, like a huge ball of liquid fire, and lit up theplace while they waited for morn. 

Panton and Mr Rimmer both seemed to be sleeping heavily, and one of thesailors remained similarly affected, but their state did not appear nowto be so alarming after the past experience, and Drew contented himselfwith satisfying himself from time to time that they were breathingcomfortably, while he waited and thought sadly about their youngcompanion. 

"If I could only feel satisfied that we had done everything possible tosave him, " he said to himself, for his conscience reproached him foridling there when he might have perhaps schemed some way of dragging himout from the mist. 

Just about the time when his spirits were at the lowest ebb he becameconscious of the fact that the two sailors, Smith and Wriggs, wereengaged in an argument with one of the rescue party, and he listened towhat was said. 

"Look-ye here, " growled Smith, "what's the good o' you talking that way?You see how it was; yer couldn't hardly breathe, and what yer couldbreathe warn't fresh hair, but a rum sort o' stuff as comes out o' theearth and knocks yer over 'fore you knows where you are. I never feltnowt like it, did you, Billy?"

"No; and never wants to smell it again. Yer didn't feel it, yer smeltit, lads, and then you was nowheres. Say, Tommy. "

"What is it?"

"Wonder what it's like down below, inside like. You hauled me out 'foreI'd half a chance to find out. "

"Why didn't yer say yer wanted to see? Then I'd ha' let yer go. "

"Nay, you wouldn't, Tommy, " said Wriggs, with a chuckle. "Be too warm, wouldn't it?"

"But what I was saying, mates, was as I don't think we tried hard enoughto find Mr Lane. We ought to have done something. "

"Ay; but how are you going to do it?" said Wriggs, shortly, just as theman's words had gone like a pang through Drew's breast, making him feelthat even the men were judging him adversely. "That's the worst o' youclever ones: you says, says you, `We ought to do some'at, ' but you don'tsay what. "

"That's a true word, Billy Wriggs, " cried Smith, clapping his messmateon the shoulder, "they don't say what. Why, 'fore you chaps come, MrPanton and Mr Drew--"

"And Tommy Smith, " growled Wriggs. 

"Well, I did try a bit, mate, and so did you, till we couldn't do nomore. I don't believe a hangel could ha' done more than Billy did. "

"Oh, I say, mate, " grumbled Wriggs, modestly. 

"I says it again, `could ha' done more than Billy did. ' But it's likethis here, mates, the onpossible's just a bit too hard for a man to do, and whether he likes it or whether he don't, he's got to put up with it, and that's what clever people calls flossify. "

"And quite rightly, my man, " said Drew, coming close up. "Smith andWriggs behaved like brave, true men, my lads. "

"Easy, sir, please. We only tried same as you did. "

"You think, then, that we tried everything that was possible to save myfriend?"

"Think, sir? Why, Billy and me's sure on it, eh, Billy?"

"Sartain. "

"Hah!" ejaculated Drew, "you have done me good, my lads, for my heartfelt very sore and my conscience reproached me cruelly for not doingmore. "

"It's all right, sir, " cried Smith, cheerily. "You wait till themorning comes, and then we shall see a way o' sarcumventing this gas, asyou calls it, and I daresay we shall find Mr Lane somewhere all righton t'other side. "

"If I could only feel that, I could rest till morning, " said Drew. 

"Then just you feel it, sir, " said Smith. "It's what I feels strong. "

"So do I, sir, now, " put in Wriggs. "If Tommy Smith mays so, it's allright. "

Drew tried to think that it was, but the pleasant, hopeful sensationwould not come, and he sat now with the men, now beside the mate and hisfriend Panton, waiting for the morning, the first hints of its approachbeing in the gradual paling of the golden light from the cloud over thevolcano, and the appearance of the softer, more natural glow, that camein the east, bringing with it a more diffused light, and the hope thatrides in with the dazzling rays of a new day. 

CHAPTER FOURTEEN. 

CHEAP LODGINGS AND CATS. 

Oliver Lane's double gun gave forth two sharp clicks as his thumbpressed back the cocks, and then, raising it to his shoulder, he waited, with his eyes searching among the thick leaves of the fig-tree, andtrying to penetrate the orchids which clustered where the trunk forkedand sent forth a dozen or so of minor boughs. 

But the snarling sound had ceased, and there was not the slightestrustle among the leaves to indicate the spot where the animal washidden. But in imagination he could see some big, lithe, cat-likecreature crouching there in the tree-fork, ready to spring, its headlooking flattened with the ears drawn down, teeth gleaming in a fiercesnarl, eyes flashing with green phosphorescent-like light, and sharpclaws alternately protruded and withdrawn. 

All this was pictured by his active brain, but there was nothing visiblesave a gleam here and there, where the light from a fire-fly shonefaintly from some leaf. 

A minute passed, all eager watchfulness, and at the slightest rustleindicating action on the part of the animal Lane would have drawntrigger. But all remained still, and the young man asked himself whathe had better do. 

There were other trees about, but not one which offered such asatisfactory lodging, so easy to reach. 

"One oughtn't to mind a cat on the premises, " he laughingly said tohimself at last. "It would keep away nuisances, but this is too much ofa cat, and wants to have all the bed to itself. "

He hesitated about firing into the tree to scare the beast, partly fromthe idea that it might irritate it into springing and taking him at adisadvantage, for as he stood there the light was behind him, so that hemust be plain to his invisible enemy; then, in the smoke, he would beunable to make out his foe, and there would be no chance or time to takeaim with the second barrel, and he knew what the result would be--thebrute seizing him with teeth and claws, holding on fast while it torehim with its hind legs, as a cat does a rat. 

"A miserable end at the beginning of one's life, " thought Lane. "Discretion's the better part of valour, " he muttered. "I'll go backand find another tree. "

He stood for a few minutes longer, in the utter silence, listening forsome movement from his enemy, but there was none. Then he began to hopethat it had stolen away, and he moved slightly--drawing back to go insearch of fresh lodgings. But at the first step there was a savagegrowl, such as might have been uttered by a magnified cat, and hisfingers moved to press the trigger, as he stood firm, with the butt ofthe piece pressed to his shoulder, and his cheek against the stock. 

The snarling ceased and all was dead silence again, while, oddly enough, the old story of the Irish soldier came to Lane's mind:

"Please, sor, I've caught a Tartar prisoner. "

"Bring him along, then. "

"Please, sor, he won't come. "

"Then come without him. "

"Please, sor, he won't let me. "

For, in spite of his excitement and its accompanying alarm, Lane couldnot help smiling at his predicament. He knew that if he beat a retreatthe beast would spring at him, and taking into consideration the factthat he would be better off if he took the offensive and advanced, he atonce acted upon the latter course. 

Taking a step forward, there was another savage snarl, and he aimed, asnearly as he could guess, at the spot whence it came, and waited, butthe animal did not spring. 

He moved forward again and there was another snarl--a pause--a slightmovement--another snarl and a scratching noise, which meant the tearingat the bark of the trunk upon which the animal crouched. 

"I must fire, " thought Lane, and bending forward again, the snarling wasresumed and he drew trigger. 

Almost simultaneously with the shot there was a fierce yell, and theyoung man received a tremendous blow in the chest, which knocked himbackwards right amongst the thick growth; then came a loud rustling, thesound of the animal dashing through the tangle of undergrowth, and thenall was still. 

"Killed, or escaped wounded?" muttered: Lane, as he gathered himself up, and stood with his gun ready to deliver the contents of the secondbarrel. But at the end of ten minutes or so there was no sound to breakthe silence, save a peculiar rending, tearing noise at a distance, followed by a rumbling boom, as of thunder under ground, and a sensationas of the earth quivering beneath his feet. 

This passed away, and feeling safe for the moment, Lane opened thebreech of his piece, threw away the empty cartridge, and replaced itwith one containing heavy shot before stepping up to the tree, andclimbing up the trunk easily enough by the help of the cable-likeparasite which enlaced its great buttresses. 

He had not far to mount, for the main trunk ended about twelve feet fromthe ground, and after a little feeling about amongst the dense orchidgrowth, he soon found a position where he could sit astride, and supporthis back in a comfortable half-reclining posture, perfectly safe fromall risk of falling, so that there was every prospect of a good night'srest. 

"I hope they will not fidget about me very much, " he said to himself, ashe thought of his companions. Then, utterly tired out, and with hisperceptions somewhat blunted by fatigue, he gave his friends the creditof thinking that he would be able to take care of himself, and leanedback. 

"Jolly, " he muttered. "Cheap, comfortable lodgings if it don't rain, and the leopard, or whatever it was, does not come back to turn out thistrespasser. Hah! how restful and nice. Can't fall: but I'm not goingto cuddle this gun all night. "

He began to feel about for a place where he could lay the gun downsafely, and at the end of a minute his hand touched something warm andfurry, which began to stir about and utter a whining, mewing noise. 

He snatched away his hand in dread, then extended it again to beginfeeling his discovery. 

"Pups!" he exclaimed. "Kittens I mean! Two of them; fine fat ones, too. They're harmless enough if their mother does not come back, " andgoing on patting and feeling the little animals, he fully realised nowthe reason for their mother's ferocity, though he felt that it mighthave been their father. 

"No, " he said, half aloud, "it must have been the mother, for she wouldmake her nursery somewhere in hiding, for fear that papa should want toplay Saturn, and eat his children up. "

The cubs whined softly a little, and nestled their soft heads againsthis hand. Then they sank down in the nest-like hollow of a decayed limbof the tree and went to sleep, while Oliver Lane found a tough vine-likestem behind which he was able to tuck his piece safely. And a fewmoments after, regardless of volcanoes, earthquakes, tidal waves, foulgases, and ferocious beasts, the young naturalist went off fast asleep, and did not stir till he heard, mingled with his dreams, the shrillshrieking of a flock of paroquets, which were climbing about among thesmaller branches of the tree high overhead, and feasting upon the fastripening figs. 

CHAPTER FIFTEEN. 

PLUTONIC ACTION. 

It took Oliver Lane some time to pass from a sound sleep graduallythrough half-waking dreams to the full knowledge of his position, andthen, albeit somewhat cramped and stiff, feeling rested and bright, helay back listening to the calls and answers of the birds, and watchingthem with a true naturalist's intense delight. For there he was in thevery position he had longed to reach, right amongst nature's gems intheir own abode, full of life and vigour. He had seen these birdsbefore, but as attractively-plumaged dry specimens. Here they werehanging, crawling, and climbing about, busy, with every feather inmotion, their eyes bright, and beaks and claws all abloom with colour. Now their feathers were tightly pressed to their softly-curved bodies, now standing almost on end, giving the birds a round, plump aspect thatwas delightful when the sun gleamed through, and flashed from the goldengreen, bright scarlet, or vivid blue, with which they had been paintedby nature's loving hand. Others were entirely of a beautiful green, allsave their heads, which glowed with a peach bloom, while, again, othersbore the same leafy uniform, and, for decoration, a dark collar, andlong, pencil-like-produced feathers in their tails. 

There was the gun close at hand. Lane had but to take it from beneaththe creeper which held it fast; but, at this time, it never occurred tohim that he might secure two or three splendid specimens for thecollection he sought to make, so occupied was he by the action of theflock in the tree. 

It was all delightful to him to watch the soft, easy, deliberate way inwhich the paroquets climbed with beak and claw, hooking on with theformer, and then raising one foot with its soft, clasping, yoke-toes totake a firm hold before bringing up the other; then, holding on by both, and swinging gently to and fro, the beak was set at liberty, and thebird hung head downwards, to feast upon some luscious fig. 

"If they only had a sweet note, instead of their harsh scream, " thoughtLane, "what lovely creatures they would be. "

He sat there watching them for about an hour, but far from satiated, forthere was always something fresh to see, and the birds were so tame, that he often had them within a few feet of his head, some soft, round-headed creature turning itself on one side to gaze at him with itskeen eye as if in wonder, before going on with its feeding, satisfiedthat it would not be hurt. 

Then the delightful scene came to an end with the climbing birds and thefoliage lit up by the horizontal rays of the sun, for, all at once, there was a deafening explosion, and, shrieking loudly, the flock tookflight, while Lane sat there appalled, listening in expectation ofanother report, the former having evidently come from the mountain; but, as he listened, there was in place of the explosion, a loud hissing, andthen a loud, heavy pattering, accompanied and followed by thud afterthud, and he knew, though he could not see for the dense foliage, that avolley of heavy stones and masses of pumice had been fired into the air, to fall from various heights back to earth on the mountain slopes. 

"Ah, I must go and see that, " he said to himself, as he seized his gun. "Not my department, but none the less interesting. I wish Panton washere. "

A soft, whining noise took his attention then, and, glancing beside him, he saw that the cubs which had been his companions all night werestraining about, climbing over each other, and falling back, evidentlywanting their morning meal. 

"And I suppose I have killed their mother, " thought Lane, as he bentover and patted the two furry animals. "Poor little things! I mustcome back and get them, and take them with me to the ship, if I cancross the belt of mist. First of all, though, the mountain--I must goup that as far as I can climb. "

So, descending and shouldering his piece, he strode to where the ashesof his fire lay and then brought his gun down to the present, for therewas a quick, rustling sound to his left, and he caught a glimpse ofglossy, spotted fur, as an animal passed amongst the dense undergrowth. Then, before he had time to fire, had he felt so disposed, a huge, lithe, cat-like creature bounded on to the trunk of the tree he had justleft, uttering a strange, purring cry, and disappeared in the orchidswhich clustered about the fork. 

"Then I did not shoot the mother, " thought Lane. "So much the better. "

Then, as all was still and no danger to be apprehended there, heshouldered his gun and strode off towards the more open ground, which hereached at last, forgetful of everything but the intense desire to tryand ascend the cone-shaped mountain which stood before him, capped witha dense pall of smoke and steam. 

After tramping about an hour, the sight of trickling water down amongstsome stones suggested to him the fact that he had not broken his fastthat morning, so sitting down upon a block of stone, he brought out theremains left in his wallet and ate them, stale as they were, as helooked round him, finding that he had climbed to higher ground than heexpected; but though he looked eagerly toward the part where the shipmust have lain in the middle of the wave-swept plain, everything was cutoff by a dull, misty appearance. Not the clearly marked band of sunnyhaze he had seen from low down on the level therewith, but a foggy, indistinct state of the atmosphere. 

Away to his right, he feasted his eyes upon the enormous mass of stoneand ash which towered up in a beautifully regular curve, with apparentlynothing to hinder him from walking up the steep slope to the crater, into which he felt an uncontrollable desire to gaze. 

"I ought to get up to the top in two or three hours, " he thought, as hementally mapped out his course, seeing nothing likely to hinder him butrough blocks of stone dotted about in all directions. Nothing inthemselves, but ominous of aspect when he took into consideration thefact that they must have been hurled upward from the mountain, andfallen back on the slope in all probability white-hot. 

"One will have warning, " he thought, "and there may be no more fallto-day. "

Finishing his last mouthful, he took out an india-rubber cup, andstooping down, filled it from the trickling course, raised it to hislips, and then spurted out a mouthful in disgust, for it was hot, bitter, salt, and had a most objectionable odour. 

"Ugh!" he ejaculated, "mustn't depend on you. " Then giving anotherglance round, he shouldered his gun, and commenced the ascent, leavingall vegetation behind him, and soon finding that his way lay over loosescoria and finely-powdered pumice, into which his feet sank at everystep. 

But as the difficulties and steepness of the ascent increased, so didthe desire to climb higher and see more of the volcano, and also more ofthe country into which fate had brought him. Once a few hundred feethigher, he felt he would be able to set all doubts at rest as to whetherthey were surrounded by the sea; and to get this proof Oliver Lanepressed on. 

After a time he got more into the knack of climbing without slippingback so much, but the sun was getting higher, and its beams grew warm, while he was conscious of a sensation as of heat striking upward fromthe ashy substance of which the slope was composed, and at last, togratify his curiosity, and to clear away a doubt, Lane stooped down tolay his hand flat upon the ash, and snatch it away again, for it wasquite hot. 

For a moment or two after this, he hesitated, but there above him rosethe cone with its crest of smoke, and apparently nothing to hinder himfrom climbing steadily to the top, and from thence getting a bird's-eyeview of the country round. 

That was enough to start him on, and setting himself manfully to thetask, in less than half an hour he found that he had reached anatmospheric band where the breeze blew pleasantly cool and invigorating. The cloud over the summit of the cone had floated away, and all wasclear and bright as he resumed the ascent, feeling now that an hourwould bring him to the top, when all at once he fell upon his knees, andthen threw himself at full length. For the mountain quivered beneathhis feet, and produced a giddy sensation as the surface rose and fell inwaves, whilst almost simultaneously there was a terrific roar, and hesaw a dense cloud driven out from above, and ascending to a tremendousheight, as if shot out by an internal explosion. 

His first feeling was, that he must turn and rush down: his second, thatit would be madness to stir, for the side of the mountain was openingand shutting in a network of fissures, and the next minute, the cloudwhich he had seen blasted upwards proved itself not to be so much mist, but a storm of ashes and scoria mingled with huge masses of rock, whichnow curled over like a fountain, and were falling back in alldirections. 

Oliver Lane tried to anchor himself to the shifting ashes as he laythere, feeling that his last hour had come, for darkness was now addedto the other horrors, and the mountain-side was in strange quiveringmotion, gaze wildly whichever way he would. 

The fall of a mass of glowing cinders, so close that he could feel thescorching heat against his cheek, roused Oliver Lane to the fact that itwas more dangerous to stay than to rush down-hill, running the gauntletof the falling shower; and, after a moment's hesitation, he turned andran for his life. The white-hot stones and cinders fell around him ashe bounded down, having hard work to keep his footing, for at every leapthe loose scoria gave way as he alighted, and slipped with him in anavalanche of dust and ashes from which he had to extricate himself. 

Once he had pretty well dragged himself out when the ashes for farenough round began to glide downward, the thick haze of volcanic dustaround adding to his confusion, while every step he took in his franticefforts to keep on the surface resulted in his sinking more deeply tillhe was above his waist in the loose gliding stuff and awake to the factthat it was scorchingly hot. 

But all at once, as despair was beginning to enfold him in a tighterhold than the ash and cinder, the gliding avalanche suddenly stopped, and as it was not like the Alpine snow ready to adhere and be compressedinto ice, he was able to extricate himself and slide and roll down forsome distance further. 

Then all at once he found that he was in the sunshine again, and thatthe stones had ceased to fall and the mountain to quiver; while, as hegazed upward, it was to see that the dark cloud was slowly floatingaway, giving him a view of the edge of the crater where it was brokendown for some distance in the shape of a rugged V, and just at thebottom, every now and then, there was a bright glow of fire visible. The glow then sank completely out of sight, but only to rise up again, and this was continued as the young naturalist watched, suggesting tohim the fact that the crater must be full of boiling lava which rose tothe edge in its ebullitions and then dropped below the rugged wall. 

Ten minutes later the glowing stones which had fallen, looked black andgrey; the cloud was at a distance, and there was nothing to indicatethat the beautifully shaped mountain ever presented another aspect thanthat of peace. 

Oliver Lane stood looking up with the longing to ascend to the edge ofthe crater growing strong once more, but he was fagged by his exertions, bathed in perspiration, and aware of the fact that an intense glowingheat rose from the surface all around him, while the air he breathedseemed to produce a strange suffocating effect when he turned his facefrom the wind which swept over the mountain slope. 

In a few minutes he decided that it would be madness to persevere, andthat it would be wise to wait until the volcano was in a more quiescentstate, for at any minute there might come a fresh explosion from themouth from which he might not be able to escape so easily. 

He looked longingly round to try and make out something of value toreport as to their position, but the mountain shut everything off in thedirection lying north, and he was reluctantly about to continue hisdescent when he felt the stones beneath his feet tremble again. Thencame a report like that of a huge cannon, and what seemed to be anenormous rock shot upward for hundreds of feet, hung for a moment or twoin the clear air, and then fell back into the crater. 

That was enough. A burning thirst and a sensation of breathingsomething which irritated his lungs, awakened him to the fact that hemust find water, and, regardless of the heat, he once more began tohurry downward toward the level plain from which the mountain curved upin so beautiful a cone. 

Oliver Lane soon found that he was not returning upon his steps, andthough apparently not far from where he ascended, it was plain enoughthat, even if they had not been obliterated by the falling ash andcinders, the fragments flowed together again like sand. A greater proofstill was afforded him in the fact that about a quarter of a mile lowerdown his farther progress was checked by a rugged chasm running rightacross his path, apparently cutting him off from the lower portion andextending to right and left farther than he could see. 

He approached it with caution, but found that he must not risk a nearapproach, for he set the loose scoria in motion, and it trickled onbefore him, and went over out of sight with a rush. 

Anchoring himself as well as he could against a huge block of lava, hepaused to consider whether he should go to right or left, and thenshrank away with a shudder, and began to climb back as fast he could, for, slight as had been his bearing upon the block, it had beensufficient to start it off, and, to his horror, it went on gliding downabout twenty yards, and then dropped over the edge. 

He stood listening, in the hope of hearing the block stop directly, asproof of its being only a few feet down, and passable if he loweredhimself and then climbed the opposite edge; but a full minute elapsedbefore he heard a dull, echoing roar, which continued for some time, and, after a pause, was continued again and again, giving terriblewarning of the depth, and his own insignificance upon that mountainslope. 

He now had his first suggestion of panic--of how easily, in the face ofso much peril, anyone could lose his head, and rush into danger, insteadof escaping the risks by which he was surrounded. For his strongimpulse now was to start into a run, and to begin to ascend the slopediagonally. But at the first dozen steps, he found he was loosening theashes, which began to glide toward the chasm faster and faster, and thatif he continued with so much energy, there would soon be a swift rush, which would carry him with it into the awful gulf. 

Warned by this, he stopped, and then proceeded cautiously, going nearlyparallel, but increasing his distance as far as was possible. 

The intense heat of the sun combined with that which radiated from themountain-side was exhausting to a degree; his thirst grew almostunbearable, and he fully realised the imprudence of which he had beenguilty in attempting the ascent alone. The only thing now was toextricate himself from his perilous position, and, after a halt or twoto collect himself and try to make out how much farther the riftextended, during which he hesitated as to whether it would not be wiserto go back and try the other way, he started onward again, slowly andsteadily, becoming conscious of a peculiar puff of stifling vapour, which he felt sure must come from the gaping rift below. 

And now the idea came to him that it was impossible that the chasm couldhave been there when he ascended, but had opened during the fresheruption in which he had so nearly been overwhelmed. 

At last, when his sufferings from the heat were growing unbearable, andhis head swam with the giddy sensation which supervened, the riftappeared to close in about fifty yards further on. He sheltered hisswimming eyes, and endeavoured to steady himself, as, with sinkingheart, he tried to make out whether this really were so, or only fancy. But it seemed to be fact, and, pressing cautiously on, he lessened thedistance, and then stopped appalled, shrinkingly facing a way of escapeto the lower part of the mountain, but one terrible enough to make thestoutest-hearted shiver. For the chasm came to a sudden end, andrecommenced two or three yards farther on, leaving a jagged, narrowstrip of lava extending bridge-like from side to side. 

"I dare not, " he muttered, as he approached slowly, noting the shape, and trying to make out how far down the mass of rock extended, so as tosee whether it would prove firm, or only be a crust which might give waybeneath his weight, and then--He shuddered, for he knew that whoeverventured upon that narrow pathway did so facing a terrible death. 

He looked wildly forward to see if the gap still went on to anydistance, and he could trace it till it was lost in a hot haze. 

"I must do it, " muttered Lane, for he felt that if he kept on longerupon the upper edge, he must soon sink and perish from heat andexhaustion. 

Knowing that if he stopped to think, he would grow less and lessdisposed to venture, and taking one long eager look at the green treesfar below in the distance where there would be shelter and refreshingwater, he gathered himself together, and walked slowly and steadily overthe yielding ash and cinders to the beginning of the bridge. 

CHAPTER SIXTEEN. 

THE DESCENT. 

Hope came with the first step, for it was upon hard slippery rock, andgathering courage from this, the young naturalist kept one foot firm, and stamped with the other to try whether the rock was brittle andlikely to give way. 

But it seemed firm, and fixing his eyes upon the other side, Oliver drewhimself up erect and walked boldly on to the narrow bridge, profoundlyconscious of the fact that there, on either side where he dare not look, the walls went down almost perpendicularly into a gulf too awful toponder on, even for a moment. 

Onward slowly, step by step, with the glistening crisp bridge some yardswide where he started, but as he went on, it grew narrower and narrower, while the farther side of the gulf which had appeared so short adistance away when he was high up and looking down, now looked far-offto his swimming eyes. 

The giddy feeling increased as he neared the middle, and then he stoppedshort, and dropped upon his knees. For suddenly, with the profound gulfon either side, there came a loud resonant crack, and a piece of thelava split away and fell. 

Lane knew that he ought to have rushed onward now, literally boundingacross, but the horror of his position, as he felt that the frail bridgewas giving way beneath his feet unnerved him, and he could not stir, butknelt there seeing the rock before him seem to rise and fall while helistened for what seemed as if it would never come, the echoing roarwhen the mass which had fallen struck below. Even if the lava on whichhe knelt had followed, he would not have stirred, only knelt theregazing at the remainder of the bridge in front as it undulated, risingand falling slowly, while the fume which arose from the chasm added tothe giddy swimming in his head. 

At last! A deafening, reverberating roar, and Lane clutched at a pieceof the rock, and closed his eyes, feeling that all was over, but openedthem again directly to see that the bridge before him was notundulating, and he knew that it was an optical illusion due to the heatand the giddiness from which he was suffering. 

Nerving himself once more, he rose cautiously, and holding his gunacross him with both hands, as if it were a balancing pole, he steppedcautiously forward a dozen steps or so, feeling the brittle, glassy rockquiver beneath his weight; and then with the lower side, and safety, nota dozen yards away, he was unable to contain himself, and springingforward he nearly ran, ending by making one great bound and landingsafely as the whole mass over which he had passed gave one crashingsound and fell. 

Oliver Lane dropped on his knees a few yards from the edge he had leftbehind, and gazed wildly at the broad opening till a terrific roar arosefrom the depths below. 

For some moments his senses must have left him, and he was hardlyhimself when he rose to his feet and reeled and staggered downward. Butthis passed away; his consciousness fully returned, and no longer actingupon the blind instinct which urged him to escape, he began to hurry onmore steadily toward where, far below, he could see the green trees, andas his dry lips parted he, in imagination, saw clear, cool water waitingto quench his awful thirst. 

But during the next two hours his progress grew more and moremechanical, and there were times when he went on down and down the looseslope like one in a dream. There, though far below, was the objectwhich guided him, a glistening thread of silver water from which thesun's rays flashed, and down by which he fell at last to bathe his facein its cool depths and drink as he had never drunk before. 

It was as if he had imbibed new life when he finally drew away from thewater and lay gazing up at the mountain slope, and the summit whosehighest parts were hidden in the rounded cloud of smoke and steam whichrested there. Danger was apparently absent, and Oliver Lane felt readyto imagine he had exaggerated everything, and been ready to take alarmwithout sufficient cause. He was ready now, in the pleasant restfulfeeling which came over him, to laugh at what he mentally called hiscowardice. But this passed off in time, and he knew that he had notonly been in grave peril, but that even now his position was far fromfree of danger, it would soon be night again, he was without food, andthat line of mist was like an impassable wall between him and hisfriends. 

As he arrived at this point in his musings, he tried to spring up, knowing that he must make an energetic effort to regain them. 

But there was very little spring in his motions, for though the cooldraught of water had been delicious, and reclining there restful to adegree, the moment he stirred every joint moved as if its socket washarsh and dry, so that he would not have been surprised had they allcreaked. He began to walk with pain and difficulty, with his mind madeup as to what he should do. For there below him to his right was thelong line of mist, and his object was to keep along parallel with ittill he could pass round the end, which must be somewhere toward theshore, over which they had been carried inland. Once there, he would beable to reach his friends who ought, he felt, to have made some effortto find him in a similar way to that which he now proposed tryinghimself. 

"And by the same rule, " he said half aloud with a bitter laugh, as heshifted his gun from one shoulder to the other, "I ought to have gone atonce to try and reach them instead of attempting such a mad adventureall alone. "

It was too late for repentance, and he tramped wearily on, trying tomake out in the lower ground upon which he gazed down to his right, thedense forest and the huge fig-tree in which he had passed the night. Helaughed the next minute as he saw the impossibility of his search, forhe looked down upon the rounded tops of hundreds of such trees risinglike islands out of a sea of golden green shot with orange in the glowof the sinking sun. 

Before long he found that he must be on the look-out for anotherresting-place, and that as there would not be time to reach the band oftrees at the foot of the mountain, he must find some patch of rocks onthe slope along which he was painfully walking. Then, finding that hehad left himself but little time, he halted by some greyish cinderyblocks whose bases were sunk in volcanic sand, and hungry and faint withthirst, he threw himself down to lie looking up at the golden ball ofillumined steam floating above the top of the volcano high up in thewonderfully transparent heavens till the light began to fade away, andthen suddenly went out, that is to say, seemed to go out; for, in spiteof hunger, thirst, and weariness, Oliver Lane's eyelids dropped to openas sharply, directly, as it seemed to him, and he lay staring withdilated eyes upward at the object he had last seen. 

But it had changed, for the cloud, instead of looking golden and orange, as it glowed, was now soft, flocculent and grey. 

"There it is again, " he said, excitedly then. "I thought it was part ofmy dream. "

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. 

FRIENDS IN NEED. 

He was quite right; it was solid reality, and he was looking at thebroad back of a man standing a few yards away, with his hands to hismouth, and who now sent forth a tremendous shout, which was answeredfrom a distance before the man turned, and stepped quickly to his side, displaying the rugged features of Billy Wriggs. 

"Ain't dead, are yer, sir?" he cried, sinking on one knee. "Here, havea drink. "

He placed his water bottle in the young man's hand and watched him. 

"No; dead man couldn't drink that how, " he said softly. "Go it, sir;I'll fill it up again. Take a reg'lar good deep swig. Fine stuff, water, when you're thirsty, so long as it aren't hot water, and allbitter and salt. Go it again, sir, " he cried, as his rugged facesoftened into a weak grin of satisfaction. "Ahoy-a! Ahoy! This way. "

This last was a tremendous roar through his hands, sent in the directionof the forest below, and as soon as it was answered, the man turnedagain to Lane. 

"Only to think on it being me as found yer, sir. I do call it luck. Icome out o' the wood, and I says to myself, `I shouldn't wonder, Billy, old man, if Muster Lane's over yonder, among them rocks, for it's justthe sorter place to make a roost on, ' and I come along, and see yer fastasleep, and here yer are, sir, not a bit dead, are yer?"

"No, no, I'm all right, Wriggs, only so stiff, I can hardly move. "

"Course yer are, sir. But never you mind about that. You wait tillTommy Smith comes up, and us two'll give yer a real 'poo, sir--none ofyer sham 'uns--and make yer jyntes as lissom as injy rubber. Why, sir, we begun to think you was a goner. How did yer get here?"

"Tell me first how you got here. "

"That's me as will, sir, " cried the man with alacrity, as he keenlywatched Lane's efforts to rise, and lent him a hand. "Yer see, wecouldn't get through that steam as runs all along across the low land. "

"Was any one the worse for getting through?" cried Lane, eagerly, andBilly Wriggs scratched his ear. 

"Well, sir, yer see, none on us weren't none the wuss for gettingthrough, 'cause we didn't get through; but lots on us was all the wussfor not getting through. My heye! Talk about too much grog when yerashore, it's nothing to it. It's the tipsyest stuff I ever swallowed. How did you manage, sir?"

"I--I don't know; I struggled through it, somehow, and then fell downinsensible. "

"Onsensible, course yer did, sir. It knocks all the gumption out on yer'fore yer knows where yer are. Ahoy! mate! This way, Tommy. Here heis!"

The trees below them had been parted, and, all scratched and bleeding, Smith appeared, and as soon as he caught sight of Lane, he slapped hislegs heavily, turned round, and yelled aloud. 

Then he ran up at a trot, grinning hugely. 

"That's you, sir, " he cried, "and I'm glad on it. They said as weshould only find yer cold corpus, and `No, ' I says, `if we finds hiscorpus at all, it won't be cold but hot roast. There's no getting coldhere. But I knows better. Too much stuff in him, ' I says. `He'llsarcumwent all the trouble somehow. Master Oliver Lane aren't the ladto lie down and give up, ' and I was right, warn't I, Billy?"

"Ay, mate, you was right this time. "

"Course I was, Billy; but yer needn't ha' been in such a hurry to findMr Lane all to yerself. But yer allus was a graspin' sort o' chap, Billy. "

"You're another, " growled Wriggs; "but don't stand hargeying there. Here's Mr Lane that stiff he can't move hisself, and he wants us togive him a real 'poo. "

"Whatcher mean, mate?"

"Well, a shampoo, then. "

"Hold on. Don't you try them games, mate, for you was never cut out forthe work. He thinks that's a joke, Mr Lane, sir. But do you want yourjyntes rubbed a bit?"

"No, no, I shall be better directly, " cried Oliver. "Oh, yes, I canwalk. Only a bit stiff. Where are the others?"

"Coming through that bit o' wood, sir, where it's all thorns andfish-hooks. Mr Rimmer's there and your two messmates. "

"But how did you get through the mist?"

"We didn't, sir. We got a boat down to the shore, launched her androwed doo north for a bit, and then landed and come along hunting foryer. Why, that there mist goes right down the shore and out to sea, where you can smell it as it comes bubbling up through the water. "

"But how did you get a boat down?" cried Oliver. "It must be a good twomiles. "

"Nay, sir, seemed to us like a bad four mile, " grumbled Wriggs. 

"Yah! not it, Billy. Oh, we did it, sir. Took the littlest, and thecarpenter made a couple o' runners for it out of a spare yard, and solong as we picked our way she come along beautiful. Yer see we meant todo it, and o' course we did it, and here we are. "

"Ahoy!" yelled Wriggs again, and an answer was heard from close at hand, as Panton suddenly came into sight. 

"Found him?" he shouted, but he caught sight of his companion at thesame moment, and rushed, out of breath and streaming with perspiration, to catch Lane's hands; his lips moved as he tried to speak, but not aword would come. 

"Ahoy!" yelled Wriggs again, and Smith followed his example afterturning his back to the two young men. 

A minute later Drew came into sight, and then Mr Rimmer, and somehow, he, too, seemed to be affected like Drew and Panton, for he could onlyshake hands and try to speak, but not a word came. 

"Lost all my wind, " he cried, at last, but in a husky, choky voice. "All right now, and jolly glad to see you again, sir. Hang it, what'sthe matter with my throat? I know: it's those nuts I picked as we camealong. Phew! how hot it is. "

"Lane, old chap, " whispered Panton, "we thought you'd left us in thelurch. "

"That we did, " said Drew, blinking his eyes, and then blowing his nosevery loudly. "But, I say, are you all right!"

"Yes, only stiff and very hungry. "

"Hungry?" cried the mate. "Hi! who's got the prog bag?"

"Them two's got it, sir, " said Wriggs. "Here they come. " As he spoke acouple more men came into sight, and deferring all farther questioningtill Lane's hunger had been appeased, they descended to where thenearest water trickled amongst the rocks, and were soon all seatedenjoying an _al fresco_ meal, the rugged lava forming table and chairs, and the abundant growth of ferns giving a charm to the verdant nook, andsheltering them from the sun. 

"Well, all I can say is, " cried the mate, "that you've had a very narrowescape, sir, and, thank heaven, we're all here to tell you so, for therewere moments when I thought that it was all over with us. But, phew!how hot it is. "

"Yes, " said Panton, "a steamy heat. We ought to be getting back to theboat. It will be cooler towards the sea. What's the matter, Drew?"

"I was examining these ferns. How curious it is. "

"What, their withering up so?" said Lane. "Yes, I was noticing it. Arethey sensitive plants?"

"Oh, no!" cried Drew, "those are the mimosa family. But look here, youcan see them fade and droop as you watch them; I suppose it is in someway due to our presence here. "

"Watcher fidgeting about, Billy?" said Smith, just then. "It's hotenough without you playing the fool. Shuffling about like a cat on hotbricks. "

"That's just what is the matter with me, matey, " grumbled Wriggs. "Justyou put yer hand down here. This here rock's as hot as a baker's oven. "

"So's this here, " said one of the men who had carried the provisions. "Hadn't we better go 'fore there's roast man for brexfass?"

"Really, gentlemen, it's uncomfortably hot here, " said Mr Rimmer, andjust then there was a peculiar tremor beneath them, and a shock as ifthey were upon a thin crust which had received a sharp blow frombeneath. 

They all started to their feet, and the first disposition was to run. 

"Don't leave your guns!" roared Panton, and each man snatched up hispiece. The next moment they fell prostrate and clung to the nearestrocks, for the earth began to sink beneath them, and the huge stonesupon which they had been seated a short time before glided away. 

"Quick!" cried Lane, as the surface, which had been nearly level, nowhung down in a precipitous slope. "This way!"

He set the example of climbing upward, and they reached a level spotagain just as there was a sharp crack, a deafening roar, and from out ofthe vast chasm, which had opened, there was a rush of fire, and smokerose suddenly towards where they clustered. 

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. 

SMITH TURNS TURTLE. 

The rush of smoke and fire passed away as rapidly as it had come, butthe slope newly made ran down to where the light of day was reflectedback from a dim mist which bore somewhat the aspect of disturbed water, but the earth, being quiescent once more, no one displayed any desire tomake an examination of the opening, but at once gave it what the matecalled a wide berth. 

"Let's get back to the boat, " he said. "You must be pretty well doneup, Mr Lane. "

"Well, I am stiff, " said Oliver, stooping to give one leg a rub, "but Ifeel refreshed now, and I was thinking--"

He stopped short and gazed back at the mountain with its glisteningcloud cap and smooth slope of ashes dotted with blocks of lava andpumice, the latter flashing in the sunshine, and the whole having analluring look which was tempting in the extreme. 

"What were you thinking?" said Panton; "not of climbing up again?"

"Yes, I was thinking something of the kind. It seems a shame, now weare on the slope, not to go right up and see the crater and the view ofthe whole island which we should get from there?"

The mate gave one of his ears a vexatious rub, and wrinkled up hisforehead as he turned to give Drew a comical look. 

"Yes; what is it?" said that gentleman. 

"Oh, nothing, sir, " replied Mr Rimmer. "I was only thanking my starsthat I wasn't born to be a naturalist. For of all the unreasonablepeople I ever met they're about the worst. "

"Why?" said Oliver, innocently. 

"Why, sir!" cried the mate; "here have you been missing all this time, and by your own showing you've been nearly bitten by snakes and clawedby a leopard, suffocated, swallowed up, stuck on a bit of a bridgeacross a hole that goes down to the middle of the earth, and last of allnearly scorched like a leaf in a fireplace by that puff which came atus. And now, as soon as you have had a bite and sup, you look as ifyou'd like to tackle the mountain again. "

"Of course, that's what I do feel, " said Oliver, laughing. "So do weall. "

"I'll be hanged if I do!" cried Mr Rimmer. "The brig isn't floating, Iknow, but she stands up pretty solid, and I feel as if I shall not bevery comfortable till I'm standing upon her deck. "

"But we've come on a voyage of discovery, " said Panton. 

"Yes, sir, that's right enough, but we seem to have begun wrong way on. We want to discover things, and, instead, they keep discovering us. It's just as if we'd no business here and the whole island was rising upagainst us. "

"But this is such an opportunity, " pleaded Oliver. "We are, as I said, on the slope of the mountain, pretty well rested, and I think I may saythat we are all eager to go up. "

"No, sir, I don't think you may say that, " replied the mate, grimly. "I'm pretty tired, and I've had a very anxious time lately. "

"Well, we three are anxious to try the ascent. "

"Oh, yes, I'm ready, " cried Panton, eagerly. 

"And so am I, " cried Drew; but there was a want of earnestness in hiswords. "Let's start at once. "

"Yes, gentlemen, back to the brig, please, and have a good rest. We'renone of us fit to-day. "

"But we must ascend this mountain. "

"Of course, sir, if it will let us, " said the mate; "but let's comeprepared. I'm with you at any time, and I should like to do it, butwhat I say is, let's go back to the brig and have a day or two's rest, and while we're waiting make our plans and get a stock of food ready. Then we shall want plenty of light, strong line and a bit of ropeladder, and it would be wise to let the carpenter knock us up a light, strong set of steps of ten or a dozen foot long, the same as the Alpinegentlemen use. Then we could start some afternoon. "

"At daybreak, some morning, " cried Oliver. 

"Let me finish, sir, " said the mate. "Start some afternoon and carry aspare sail and a hitcher or two in the boat. Then we could get roundthe mist, land, walk as far as we like that evening, and then light upour fire, and set up a bit of a tent. Next morning, after a goodnight's rest, we could start fair, and do some work before the sun getshot; for the mountain will be quite warm enough without the sun. There, gentlemen, what do you say to my plan?"

"Carried unanimously, " cried Drew, and Panton and Oliver remained silentand ready to acquiesce, for the arrangement certainly promised well. 

The next minute they were on their way back down to the lower ground, where before reaching the forest patch below they came upon the remainsof a group of what must have been well-grown trees, which had been socalcined that though the trunks retained their shape, they were sofragile that a kick given by one of the men brought the first down inpowder which partly rose in a cloud, the remainder forming a heap ofashes. 

This was the more curious from the fact that within twenty yards therewas a clump of vegetation evidently of greater age, growing in fullluxuriance. But the reason was soon shown by Panton, who after a fewminutes' examination pointed to a narrow, jagged rift in the earth, running for twenty or thirty yards, and whose sides upon their peeringdown showed that fire must have rushed up with such intensity that inplaces the rock was covered with a thick glaze, such as is seen uponearthenware. 

"Strikes me, Tommy Smith--" said Wriggs, after he and the other men hadhad their turn at examining the earth crack. 

"Well, what strikes yer, and whereabouts?" replied Smith, turning togive his companions a wink as much as to say, "Hark at him and don'tlaugh. "

"Hidees, Tommy, " said Wriggs, "and they hits me in the head--hard. "

"Well, then, matey, let 'em out again and tell us what they mean. "

"Tommy, my lad, you're trying to be werry wise and to show off, butdon't do it, mate. This here aren't a place for cutting jokes andmaking fun o' your messmate. What I says is--this here place aren'tsafe, and the sooner we digs a canawl and takes the old _Planet_ out tosea the better it'll be for all consarned. "

"I knowed it, " said Smith, oracularly. "I felt sure as something werrywise was a coming. How many spades have we got aboard, mates?"

"Not none at all, " said one of the men. 

"No, not one, " said Smith. "I once heard some one may as it would takea long time to cut through Primrose Hill with a mustard spoon, and Ican't help thinking as it would take as long to make our canal. "

"Now, my lads, what are you doing?" cried the mate. 

"Only just taking a sniff at the hole here, sir, " replied Smith, risingfrom his knees. 

"Well, and what can you smell--sulphur?"

"No, sir, it's more of a brimstone smell, just as if somebody had beenburning matches down below in the back kitchen, sir. Now, my lads, forrard, " he whispered, for the mate had turned and gone on after theothers. 

In a very short time the mountain was forgotten in the many objects ofinterest encountered at the edge of the forest, each naturalist finding, as he afterwards owned, ample specimens connected with his own especialbranch to last him for weeks of earnest study. But at the suggestion ofthe mate they pressed on, and, choosing the easiest line of route theycould find, they at last reached the shore where the boat lay upon thecoral and shell-sand high up out of reach of the tide. 

She was soon launched, the party half lifting, half pushing, as they ranon either side, and then as she floated, springing in and gliding offover a lovely forest of coral and weed only a foot or two beneath theboat's keel. Every spray was clearly seen, for the water was perfectlystill and limpid in the lagoon, while a mile out the sea curled over ingreat billows and broke with a dull, thunderous roar upon the barrierreef which stretched north and south as far as eye could reach, but witha quiet space here and there which told of openings in the coral rock, gateways so to speak leading out into the open sea. 

The sun beat down with tropical force, but the gentle breeze from theocean rendered the heat bearable, and a feeling of combined restfulnessand pleasure came over Oliver Lane as he watched the wondroustransparent tints of the billows as their arches glistened in thesunshine before striking the coral reef, and breaking into foam whichflashed and sparkled like freshly-cut gems. 

Turning from this he could feast his eyes upon the brilliantly scaledfish which glided in and out amongst the branching coral and bushy weedwhich formed a miniature submarine forest of pink, blue, amber, scarlet, and golden brown. Gorgeous creatures were some of these fish when theyturned over a little on one side, displaying their armour of silver, gold, and orange, often in vivid bands across steely blue or brilliantgreen. Twice over, long, lithe sharks were seen hurrying out of theircourse, each of a dingy grey, with what Wriggs called a "shovel nose, "and curious tail with the top of the fork continued far out beyond thelower portion. 

But there was the shore to take his attention, too, and to this heturned eagerly as the shrieking and whistling of a flock of birds methis ear, and he saw them flying along over the far-stretching grove ofcocoa-nut palms which curved up in a curious way from the very sandwhere at certain times the sea must have nearly washed their roots. 

"Hold hard a moment, " cried Oliver, suddenly, and the men ceased rowing, sitting with their oars balanced, and the boat silently gliding over thesmooth surface of the water, making a tiny shoal of fish flash out intothe sunshine from where the bows cut, and look like sparks of silver. 

"What is it, sir?" said the mate. 

"I want to know what that noise is. Didn't you hear it, Drew?"

"Yes, I heard something which seemed to come from the trees there, butit has stopped now. "

"Men's oars in the rowlocks, " said Panton. 

"Oh, no. It was not that, " cried Oliver. "It was just as if someonewas making a noise in a big brass tube. Ah, there it goes. "

Just then from out of the grove of palms about a hundred yards to theirright came softly and regularly just such a sound as he had described. 

_Phoomp, phoomp, phoomp, phoom_, soft, clear, and musical, rising andfalling in a peculiar way, as if close at hand and then distant. 

"Native brass band practising, " said Drew, merrily. 

"Puffs of steam from some volcanic blow hole. "

"Music: must be, " said the mate. "There's an instrument called aserpent. Perhaps it's one of them playing itself. "

"I don't know what it is, " said Oliver. "Shall we pull ashore and see?"

"No, no, not to-day, " said the mate. "Let's get back. "

"There's a turtle just ahead, sir, " said Smith, from the bows. 

"A turtle?--a dove!" cried Oliver. "Perhaps it was that. "

"I meant a turtle souper, sir, " said Smith, with a grin. Then to themate, "If you'll steer for her, sir, I'll try and catch her, she'sasleep in the sunshine. "

They all looked to where the olive green hued shell of the floatingreptile could be seen, and with two of the men dipping their oars gentlyto keep the boat in motion, and Mr Rimmer steering, they softlyapproached, while Smith leaned over the gunwale with his sleeves rolledup over his brawny arms ready to get hold of one of the flippers. 

"Hadn't you better try a boat-hook?" said Oliver, softly. 

"Too late; let him try his own way, sir, " whispered the mate. "Turn itover if you can, Smith. "

The man dared not answer, but leaned out as far as he could, anchoringhimself by passing one leg under the thwart as they went on nearer andnearer, every eye strained, lips parted, and a feeling of naturalhistory or cooking interest animating the different breasts. 

"Got her!" cried Smith, suddenly, as he made a quick dip down and seizedone of the turtle's flippers with both hands. "Hi! one on yer. Help!"

Wriggs made a snatch at and caught the man's leg, as there was a suddentug and jerk, a tremendous splash, and then, as the boat rocked, Smith'sleg was dragged from its holding and he disappeared beneath the surface. 

"Gone!" cried Wriggs, "and I did git tight hold on him, too. "

"Pull!" shouted the mate, and as the oars dipped sharply the boatfollowed a little wave of water, which ran along in front, and out ofwhich Smith's head suddenly appeared, and directly after his bandsgrasped the gunwale of the boat. 

"Where's the turtle?" cried Oliver, laughing. 

"I did get a hold on her, sir, " panted Smith; "but she went off like asteamer, and dragged me underneath. Ah! there she goes, " he continued, as he looked toward where the little wave showed that the turtle wasswimming rapidly through the troubled water. 

"Here, quick, in with you!" cried Oliver, excitedly, as Smith made ajump and climbed--or rather tumbled in--over the side, and none toosoon, for the back fin of a shark suddenly appeared a few yards away, and as the man slowly subsided into the boat there was a gleam of creamywhite in the water, and a dull thud up against the bows. 

"The brute!" cried the mate, as the shark glided out of sight, and thendisplayed its back fin again above water. "A warning that againstbathing. "

"Yes, and a very narrow escape!" cried Panton. 

"Sarves me right, sir, " said Smith, standing up in the bows to wringhimself as much as he could without stripping. "Comes o' trying to maketurtle soup of t'other thing. "

"Pull away, my lads, " said the mate, smiling. 

"If it's all the same to you, sir, " said Wriggs, "mightn't us try andketch that Jack shark for trying to kill our mate?"

"Oh, yes! if you can do so, by all means; but not to-day. Now, gentlemen, look just ahead. What do you say to that?"

"It's where the mist bank runs into the sea, " cried Lane, excitedly; forthere, to their right, the vapour rose up among the cocoa-nut treeswhich just there seemed to be half dead, while all around the boat theclear water was in a state of ebullition, tiny globules of gas runningup from below, and breaking on the surface. 

"Runs right away to the reef, " cried Panton. 

"Ay, sir, and perhaps far enough beyond, " said the mate. "Pull hard, mylads, and let's get through. "

"The coral seems to be all dead, " said Drew, "and there are no weeds. "

"Not a sign of fish either, " said Lane, whose face was over the side. "Plenty of great clam shells, but they are gaping open, and theoccupants dead--ah!"

He drew his head back sharply, for he had been suddenly seized with acatching of the breath. 

"Get a sniff of it, sir?" said Smith, who was now close by. 

"I breathed it, too, " said Drew, "but the gas does not seem to be sopowerful here above the water. "

"No, " said Panton. "I could just make out a crack or two through thecoral. We're clear now. "

"Yes, " said the mate, looking back at the effervescing water, "and thebottom is alive again. "

He was right, for the peculiar display of animal and vegetable growthwas plain to see once more. Great sea slugs crawled about on the bottomwith gigantic starfish, and actiniae of vivid colours spread theirtentacled blossoms. 

"Best way this of getting through the mist, eh, Lane?" cried Panton. 

"But there is no mist over the sea, " said Lane. 

"No, I suppose the passage through water makes the gas invisible, " saidPanton. "Isn't this somewhere near where we started, Mr Rimmer?"

"No, sir, 'bout a mile farther on. Keep a look-out and you'll see theopening in the cocoa-nut grove, and the marks of the boat's keel uponthe sand. "

They were not long in reaching the spot, and there the boat was runright up over the soft beach in among the tall stems of the nearestcocoanuts, and carefully made fast. 

"But suppose savages come and find it?" suggested Oliver. 

"Strikes me, Mr Lane, " said the mate, "that we're the only savageshere. Now, gentlemen, who says a drink of cocoa-nut milk, and thenwe'll make haste back to the brig. "

There was ample store swinging overhead, and after a couple of tries, aman succeeded in climbing one of the tall, spar-like trees, and shakingdown ample for their light lunch. A couple of hours later they hadtraversed the wave-swept plain, and reached the brig, where they wereheartily welcomed by the portion of the crew left in charge. 

"But what's the matter?" cried the mate. "You all look white about thegills. "

"Had a bit of a scare, sir, " said one of the men. "All at wonst, it wasjust as if the brig was an old cow a trying to get on her legs. For shewas heaved up, shook herself a bit, and then settled down again, just asshe was before. "

"Not quite, my lad, " said Wriggs. "Speak the truth whatever yer does. She's got a cant to port since we went away. "

He was quite right, the _Planet's_ deck was no longer level, but had aslope, and the masts, instead of being perpendicular, slanted slightlytowards the horizon. 

"Yes, Tommy Smith. Wet as you are, " whispered Wriggs, solemnly, "I musttell yer the truth, it's as they say quite dangerous to be safe. "

CHAPTER NINETEEN. 

A STARTLER. 

The strangeness of their position grew hourly to the crew of the_Planet_ brig, and again and again the mate proposed plans forextricating themselves. 

"It will take time, " he said, "but it would be far better thanattempting the trip in open boats. I have had it over with thecarpenter, and he thinks that we could build a small lugger--decked--ofabout the size of one of the Cornish mackerel craft. What do yougentlemen say to that?"

"I say it's a capital idea, " said Oliver, and his companions endorsedhis opinion. 

"So I thought, " said the mate. "It will take a long time to tear upenough of the old brig, and to get the material down to the shore, butwe shall all work with a will. I thought that we might make a hut underthe cocoa-nut trees just opposite one of the openings in the reef, andas you agree that it's a good plan, I propose beginning at once. Thenwe could sail east, west, or north, to one of the settlements. "

"But what's the hurry?" said Oliver. 

"Eh? Hurry? Why, we're wrecked, sir, and I want to get afloat again. "

"But we don't, " cried Oliver. "We could not be in a better place forour studies, and we shall want you to let us have the men to go with usupon expeditions and carry our collections. "

"But isn't it rather too cool to sit down patiently here with our shipwrecked?"

"I haven't found the place very cool, Mr Rimmer, " said Panton, smiling. 

"I didn't mean that kind of coolness, " said the mate, heartily. "But itfidgets me about my vessel. See how she's canted over. I should not besurprised to find her some day sunk out of sight. "

"But you couldn't find her if she was sunk out of sight, " said Drew, merrily. 

"No, no, of course not. How you gents do catch me up. "

"Look here, Mr Rimmer, don't you worry, " cried Oliver. "Let the vesselbe for a bit while we collect. When we have exhausted the place we willall join you heart and soul in any plan to get away; but, dangerous asthe island is, I don't want to leave it yet. "

"Nor I, " said Panton. 

"Nor I, " cried Drew. 

"All right then, gentlemen. Then we'll stay as we are for the present, only something must be done about fresh provisions. "

"I'll start at once shooting, and we can eat all the birds I kill. Ionly want the skins. "

"And I daresay I can collect a good deal of fruit and some form ofvegetables that may be useful, " said Drew. 

"That's good, gentlemen. But first of all, I think we ought to do somefishing. "

"Good, " said Panton. "Why not net one of the big pools?"

"First reason, because we have no drag-net, sir. Second, because thereare things in those pools that would tear any net to pieces and take themen who used it as bait. "

"Yes, there are crocodiles, I know. "

"Yes, sir, and a kind of sea-serpent thing in plenty. "

"What!" cried Panton, with a laugh. 

"Oh, I don't mean sea captains' sea-serpents, sir; but fellows of five, six, or seven feet long. There are plenty of them out in these seas, and some are poisonous, too. No, I don't think we'll try the pools, fordid we catch any fish I'm afraid they'd be sickly and unwholesome. Ipropose getting the lines and going to the shore, rowing out to one ofthose patches of rock just at the opening of the reef; and trying ourluck there. "

"I'm ready, " said Oliver, "and we might perhaps get hold of a turtle. We ought to slip a noose round one of the flippers if we see one again. "

"That's right, sir, we will. A good turtle would be worth having now. "

"When do you propose going?" asked Panton. 

"To-day, if you are all willing, " said the mate. 

"I'm willing enough if the others are, " cried Oliver, "for it will be atreat to examine the strange tropical fish. "

"What about bait?" asked Drew. 

"Oh, a bit or two of salt meat will do to begin with, " said the mate. "I daresay we can catch one or two with that. Then we shall be allright. There is no better bait than a bit of fresh fish to temptothers. "

"Plenty of shell fish, too, in the lagoon, " suggested Oliver. 

"Of course, I had forgotten them. An hour's time? Will that do?"

"Capitally, " they cried. 

"Then I'll go and see about the tackle and some bait for ourselves. "

In less than the suggested time the little party, with four of thesailors to help row and carry the provisions out, and any fish theymight catch, back to the ship, were on their way to the shore. 

It was a couple of weeks since Oliver's return, and the eagerness toascend the mountain was as strong with him as ever; but the attempt hadbeen put off for the present, and in the interval plenty of collectinghad been going on, and the mate had enough to do to make things what hecalled snug. 

They passed a couple of pools on the way, and it was evident that theywere rapidly drying up, for the shrinking of the water was visible atthe edges, and the presence of crocodiles plain enough. 

"Will not these places be very offensive when they dry and the fishdie?" said Drew, quickly. 

"No, sir, the crocs won't leave any fish to die, and before long they'llbegin travelling down to the sea. "

The shore was reached at last, and all eagerly laid the cocoa-nuts undercontribution, the cool, sub-acid milk being most refreshing. Then theboat was run down over the sand by the sailors, launched, and they putoff across the calm lagoon, only pausing twice for a few of the softmolluscs to be fished up to act as bait. 

A quarter of an hour later the boat was made fast to a mass of coralupon a bare patch of fairly level rock some fifty feet across. It wasclose to an opening in the reef, where the tide came rushing in and thewater was roughened and disturbed, beside possessing the advantage forthe fisherman of going down at once quite deep, where they could throwout their lines right into the opening. 

Three of these were soon rigged up and baited by the men, Smith devotinghimself to Oliver Lane, who stood ready to throw out his lead sinker. 

"Aren't you going to fish too, Mr Rammer?" he asked. 

"Not if you can get any, my lad; I'm going to lash this big shark hookon to the end of a long pole and gaff all you catch. "

Oliver laughed. 

"You don't expect that I'm going to catch anything big enough for you towant a hook like that to haul it out?"

"Why not? We haven't come to catch sprats, sir. Strikes me that if thefish bite, you'll find you get hold of some thumpers. I've fished inthese waters before, and I remember what sort of sport I had out inFiji. Ready?"

"Yes, " said Lane, who had just covered his hook with the toughmussel-like mollusc he had drawn out of a shell. 

"Throw in just out yonder, then, right in the opening of the reef wherethe waves come in. "

Oliver gave his lead a swing and brought it heavily in contact withSmith's head. 

"That aren't fish, sir, that's foul, " grumbled the man. 

"I beg your pardon, Smith, " cried Oliver, confusedly. 

"My fault p'raps, sir. Try again. All right: line's laid in rings sothat it'll run out. "

Oliver gave the lead another swing and loosed it with so good an aimthat it fell twenty yards away right in the swift current rushingthrough the opening in the reef. 

"First in, " he cried. "Look sharp, you two. "

"Mind, sir, quick!" cried Smith, as the line began to run out rapidly, and the man seized the end so as to check it. 

"Precious deep, " said Oliver, catching at the line in turn, and in aninstant feeling a ring tighten round and cut into his wrist. "Why I'vehooked one already--a monster. Here, Smith, come and pull. "

"Quick! all of you: lie down!" shouted the mate, excitedly, and he setthe example. 

"What is it, what's the matter?" cried Panton. 

"You're to hold me, " said Oliver. "I've got hold of a whale, and itwill tug me off the rock. Help, please, it's cutting into my arm. "

"Never mind the fish, " cried the mate, angrily. "Don't you see? Lieclose all of you and they may pass us. "

He pointed as he spoke, and the little party now saw the cause of hisexcitement, for half a mile away, just coming round a point masked by aclump of cocoa palms, was a large canoe with outrigger, upon which threeor four men were perched so as to help balance their vessel, which, crowded with blacks, was literally racing along a short distance fromthe reef, impelled by its wide-spreading matting sail. 

"Friends, " said Panton, excitedly. 

"If we were on board our brig and at sea, " said the mate, "but as ashipwrecked party they are foes. "

CHAPTER TWENTY. 

STRANGE SPORT. 

Those were exciting moments, especially for Oliver Lane, who, as he laythere with arm outstretched, was very slowly and painfully dragged overthe coral rock toward the sea. Every one's attention was so taken up bythe great canoe, that for the moment he was forgotten, and, in spite ofhis suffering, he felt that he must not yell out for help, for fear ofbeing heard. But just as his position was growing dangerous as well asexciting, Smith saw his peril, and throwing out one hand, took a grip ofthe line. 

"Hadn't I better cut him adrift, sir?" he whispered, huskily. 

"No, no, hold on fast, " replied Oliver. "That's better. I'll hold, aswell. "

For the help relieved his wrist from the strain that was cutting intothe flesh. 

"Don't you leave go, sir, " said Smith, hoarsely. "I can't hold him allalone. "

"Silence there!" said the mate. "Sound travels across the water. "

"I don't see that it matters much, " said Panton, softly. "They must seeus, for they're evidently coming straight for this opening into thelagoon. "

"I don't know, " replied the mate. "If they are, they may be friendly, but if they are not, we haven't so much as a gun with us, and thesemop-headed beggars are a terribly bloodthirsty lot. They think nothingof knocking a man on the head, and eating him. "

"Raw?" said Panton. 

"No, no, they make a kind of stone oven, and roast him first. "

"Oh, murder!" sighed Wriggs. "Just as if a man was a pig. "

"Will you be silent, sir, and lie still? You too, Mr Lane, and thatman with you. What is the matter?"

"We're being dragged overboard, sir, " grumbled Smith. "Got a whale, orsome'at o' that kind;" for Oliver was silent, his teeth were set, and hehad all his work to do holding on to the line. 

"Don't speak and don't move more than you can help, " whispered the mate. "I want you all to lie here as if you were so much of the coral reef. Now then, Smith, get your knife out and cut the line. "

"What, and let that there critter go, sir? He's a fine 'un, maybe it'ssalmon. "

"Silence. Out with your knife. "

"Can't, sir. If I let's go with one hand, it'll take Mr Lane out tosea. It's all we can do to hold on. "

"Mr Drew, you're nearest. Keep flat down and crawl to where you canreach the line and cut it through. "

Drew made no reply, but as he lay there flat on his face, he took outhis knife, opened it, and began to creep along the dozen yards or sotoward where Lane and Smith lay perspiring in the sunshine, now gettinga few moments' rest, now fighting hard to hold the great fish as ittugged and dragged vigorously in its efforts to escape. 

"Sims a pity, sims a pity, " muttered Smith. "Better take a hold, too. Phew! Look at that!"

For there was a tremendous whirlpool-like swirl in the disturbed water, and a jerk that promised to dislocate their arms. 

At the same moment Drew was reaching out to cut the line, but, just ashis blade touched the stout cord in front of Lane's hand, the tensionceased. 

"He's coming in shore to see who it is has got hold of the line, "whispered Smith. 

"No: gone. Broke away, " said Lane, huskily, and then they laymotionless, watching the on-coming canoe, as it rushed over the sea acouple of hundred yards or so from where the great billows curled overupon the coral reef. Now it would be plainly visible with the dancingoutrigger, upon which the nearly naked blacks were seated, riding up anddown as if upon a see-saw, now it would be hidden by a crest ofsparkling spray, which flew up as a larger wave than ordinary struck thereef. The speed at which it was going was tremendous, and so clear wasthe view at times that the little party on the rocks could make out thegreat gummed heads of the savages, and see the water glance from thepaddles of those who steered. 

Freed entirely from the strain of the fish dragging at the line, OliverLane now had leisure to watch the great canoe, and he at once began tocount the number of the enemy, making them to be either thirty-nine orforty powerful-looking blacks, several of whom had ugly-looking clubs, while others bore spears or bows and arrows. 

On they came toward the opening in the great reef; and as theyapproached, the canoe was steered farther out, evidently so that shecould be headed for the passage and sail through. And as Oliver Lanewatched he began to wonder what would be his next adventure--whether thesavages would be friendly, or if they would attack the small party whowere unarmed. 

They were not long in doubt, for at the speed at which the canoe sailed, she was soon in a position for heading in, and all the time the party onthe rock lay wondering that the savages made no sign. Some of them, ifthey had seen the party, would certainly have gesticulated, pointed, ormade some show of being surprised, but they sailed on just at the edgeof the troubled water, made a sweep round, and then, just as Lane feltsure that the enemy would come rushing through the opening with thefierce tide, and float on into the calm water of the lagoon, the mateexclaimed, --

"It was to keep from being swept in by the rush of water. They're goingright on south. "

"Hooroar!" muttered Wriggs. "I sha'n't be meat to-day. "

"They wouldn't ha' touched you, Billy, " whispered Smith, softly. "Tootough. "

"Think they'll turn back, Mr Rimmer?" said Oliver, after a few minutes'relief from the mental strain. 

"I'm sure they will, sir, " said the mate, harshly, "if you will persistin talking. "

Smith gave his mouth a pat with his open hand, and winked at Wriggs, while the mate went on more softly, --

"You do not consider how sound is carried over the water. There! didyou hear the creaking of their bamboo mast and the crackling of thematting sail?"

These sounds were clear enough for a few moments, but the boom of thebreakers smothered them directly, and the party lay watching the canoeas it glided on rapidly south till it was quite evident there was nointention of landing, the savages shaping their course so as to passround the great point a mile or two distant, and as if meaning to makefor the west. 

Then by degrees the long, slight vessel with its matting sail grew moreand more indistinct as it passed into the silvery haze caused by thewaves breaking upon the reef; but not until he felt perfectly certainthat they were safe, did the mate give the word for the fishing to beginagain. 

"This puts another face upon our position, gentlemen, " he said. "Theydid not see us this time, but once they know that there is a vesselashore inland, they'll be after it like wasps at a plum, and we shallhave our work cut out to keep them off. "

"They must come from the shore north of the volcano, " said Lane. "Don'tyou think so, Mr Rimmer?"

"No, sir, I don't, because I fancy that this must be an island, and ifit is, and plays up such games as we have seen, no savages would stayupon it. But we shall see as soon as we have had our expedition. "

"Which we ought to have been having to-day, " said Panton, "instead ofcoming fishing. "

"If we had been up north to-day, those gentlemen might have seen us, "said the mate. 

"And if they had, " said Drew, who was holding his hook for one of themen to bait, "it strikes me that we should have had no more fishing. "

"Well, as we have come fishing, gentlemen, let's see if we can't takeback a good bagful for the hungry lads at the brig. "

"Ready for another go, Mr Lane, sir?" said Smith. 

"Oh, yes, I'm ready, but we don't want such a big one this time, "replied Oliver, and once more he threw in the lead, a fresh one, for thegreat fish they had hooked had broken away, carrying with it hooks, snooding, and all. 

Three lines were soon in now, and the party of fishers waited full ofexpectancy for the first bite, but for some time there was no sign. 

"Haul in, sir, and let's see if the bait's all right, " said Smith. 

Oliver followed the suggestion, and dragged in the hook perfectly bare. 

"Something's had that, " he said. 

"Mine's gone too, " cried Panton, who had followed suit, and directlyafter Drew found that his bait was also gone. 

Fresh baits were put on, and they threw into the rushing water again, watching their lines as they were swept to and fro by the coming andretiring waves. 

"Seems as if there only was one fish, Lane, " said Panton, "and you'vegiven him such a dose of hook and lead, that he has gone for good. "

The words were hardly out of the young geologist's lips, before he felta sharp tug. 

"Here's one!" he cried, and beginning to haul in fast, he soon had abright silvery fish of eight or ten pounds' weight splashing and dartingabout at the top of the water. 

"Dinner for one, " said Drew. 

"Good for half a dozen, I should say, " cried the mate, laughing. "That's right, sir, don't stop to play him. Haul him in quick. "

"Murder!" cried Panton. "Look at that. "

For as he was drawing in the fast tiring fish level with the surface, there was a sudden gleam of gold, silver, and green, a rush and a check, as a long twining creature suddenly seized the fish, and quick aslightning, wrapped itself round and round it in a knot, doubling theweight, and adding to the resistance by lashing round and round with aflattened tail, whose effect was like that of a screw propellerreversed. 

"Eel! Snake! Whatever is it?" came from different voices, as Pantonceased dragging on his fish. 

"Go on! Have him out, " cried the mate. 

"No, no, steady, " said Oliver. "I think it's a sea snake, and I believethat some of these creatures are poisonous. "

"But it wouldn't bite out of water, " cried Drew. 

"I wouldn't chance it, " said Oliver. "Shake and jerk your line, and itmay let go. "

Panton followed the advice, and after a few sharp snatches he shook offthe creature, but the fish was gone as well. 

"Taken the hook?" asked the mate. 

"No, that's all right. "

"I've got one, " cried Drew, and a fresh struggle began, while Panton wasbusied in rebaiting. A few moments later, a bright golden-striped fishwas at the top of the water. "Look here, this is something like. Imean to--Oh!"

For just as he had his captive about twenty feet from where he stood, agreat wide-jawed sharkish-looking creature sprang out of the water, describing an arc, seized Drew's fish, and was gone. 

"Oh, I say, " he cried, "we shall never get a dinner like this. "

"Follow my example, " said Oliver quietly. "I have one now, a heavy one, too. Nothing like the first I got hold of though, " he continued as hehauled away. "But it's a fine fellow. "

"Haul in as quickly as you can, " said the mate. "Don't lose this one. "

"Just what I am doing, " said Oliver between his teeth, as he hauled awayrapidly, and soon had the head of another of the silvery fishes abovewater. "Now, Smith, be ready. Eh? Well, you, Mr Rimmer, with thathook. Now then, gaff him. "

"Gaffed, " said the mate, for instantaneously there was another rush inthe water, a splash, and Oliver drew out the head of his prize, the resthaving been bitten off as cleanly as a pair of scissors would go througha sprat, just below its gills. 

The young man turned a comically chagrined face to his unfortunatecompanions. 

"I say, this is fishing with a vengeance, " cried Panton. 

"Starvation sport, " said the mate. 

"Tommy, old lad, " whispered Wriggs, "I have gone fishing as a boy, andketched all manner o' things, heels, gudgeons, roach and dace, and oneday I ketched a 'normous jack, as weighed almost a pound. I ketched himwith a wurrum, I did, but I never seed no fishing like this here. "

"Nobody never said you did, mate, " growled Smith. 

"Well, we did not come here to catch fish for the big ones to eat, " saidthe mate. "Have another try, and you must be sharper. Look here, MrLane--No, no, don't take that head off, " he cried, "that will make asplendid bait. Throw it in as it is. "

Oliver nodded, threw out the hook and lead again, and saw that the baitmust have fallen into a shoal right out in the opening, for there was atremendous splashing instantly, a drag, and he was fast into another, evidently much larger fish. 

"Now then, bravo, haul away, my lad, " cried the mate. "You must havethis one. Ah! Gone!"

"No, not yet, " said Lane, who was hauling away, for a huge fish haddashed at his captive but struck it sidewise, driving it away instead ofgetting a good grip, and in a few moments the prisoner was close in, butfollowed by the enemy, which made another dash, its head and shouldersflashing out of the water, close up to the rock. Then it curved overand showed its glittering back and half-moon shaped tail, as it plungeddown again, while Lane had his captive well out upon the rock, lookingthe strangest two-headed monster imaginable, for the hook was fast inits jaws, with the head used for a bait close up alongside, held tightlyin place by the beaten-out end of the shank of the line. 

"Well done: a fifteen pounder, " cried the mate, as the captive wassecured, the sailors hurriedly getting it into the biscuit bag they hadbrought, for fear that it should leap from the rock back into the sea. 

Five minutes after Drew hooked another fish, but it was carried off by apursuer and the hook was drawn in bare. Almost at the same momentPanton struck another and then stamped about the rock in a rage, forbefore he could get it to the land it was seized by a monster, there wasa tug, a snap, and hook, snood, and lead were all gone. 

"We must rig up some different tackle, gentlemen, " said the mate. "Youwant larger hooks, with twisted wire and swivels. Got him again, MrLane?"

"Yes, and--ah, there's another of those sea snake things. Yes, he hascarried it off. My word! How strong they are. "

"All right, try again, sir. Use that fish's head once more. "

"But it's so knocked about. Never mind: stick it on, Smith. "

"Stuck on it is, sir, " said the man, and it was thrown in, but someminutes elapsed before it was taken, and then not until it was beingdragged in, when a fish seized it, was hooked fast, and another strugglecommenced, during which, as a snake dashed at it, Oliver gave the line asnatch and baulked the creature. But, quick as lightning, it was at itagain, seized it with its teeth, and was in the act of constricting it, when the maddened fish made a tremendous leap out of the water, draggingthe writhing snake with it, and again escaping its coils, while, asOliver made another snatch, he drew the two right out on to the rock, running a few paces so as to get his captive right into the middle. 

The effect was that the snake was dislodged, and a panic set in as thecreature, which was fully six feet long and thick in proportion, beganto travel about over the surface of the rock with a rapid serpentinemotion, everyone giving way till it reached the side and glided into thewater once more. 

"Why didn't yer get hold of his tail, Billy?" cried Smith. "Yer mightha' stopped it. Dessay them sort's as good eating as heels. "

"I should, Tommy, only I thought you wanted to have a mate. But I neversee no fishing like this afore. "

"Look here, Mr Rimmer, " cried Oliver, just then, and he pointed to thelarge handsome fish he had taken, showing that a half-moon shaped piecehad been bitten clean out of its back by the sea snake. "Do you thinkthis will be good now. "

"I should not like to venture upon it, " replied the mate, and, after thebitten piece had been cut thoroughly out, the rest was utilised formaking attractive bait, with which they had more or less sport--enoughthough to enable them to take back full sixty pounds of good fish to thebrig, but not until the boat had been run ashore and carefully securedand hidden in the cocoa-nut grove. 

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. 

SEEKING BLACK SHADOWS. 

That evening and the next day were devoted to careful investigation ofthe shores, three parties being formed and sent out well armed, to seewhether the crew of the canoe had landed farther to the south, or roundon the western coast. The orders were that if the enemy was discovered, the search parties were not to show themselves if they could avoid it, but to fall back at once to the ship and report what they had seen. 

Those who stayed behind had the duty of doing everything possible in theway of putting the brig in a state of defence. The superintendence ofthis task was undertaken by the mate, Oliver giving up the expedition, which he would have liked to join, so as to stay and help Mr Rimmer. 

They worked hard together. Wriggs and Smith, who both volunteered tostay as soon as they knew that Oliver was not going, toiling away tillit was felt that nothing more could be done; and the conclusion was cometo that, unless an attacking party of savages came provided with someform of ladder, they would be unable to mount to the deck. The bobstayhaving been removed, the gangways fortified, all this, with thecommanding position the defenders would occupy, rendered the brig athoroughly strong little fort, almost impregnable so long as the enemydid not think of enlisting fire in their service when they made theirattack. 

"Plenty of guns, plenty of ammunition, water and provisions inabundance, and enough British pluck to fight, I don't think we shallhurt much, Mr Lane. But let's hope that they will not come. "

As sunset neared, first one and then the other search parties came backwith the same report--that they had examined the offing from the highestpoints they could reach, and also from the shore; but there was no signof any canoe or of the blacks having landed. 

The next day the search was repeated, and again upon the following day, from the end of the mist bank right round the coast; but they were aloneupon the strange land, and it was evident that the savages in the canoemust have been journeying right away to some distant spot, and in allprobability they would never be seen again. 

This being so, it was resolved to combine in one expedition the searchfor the savages on the other side of the mist and the ascent of themountain, from up whose slope it was hoped that the glasses would sweepthe shore all round, proving whether there was a native village, and atthe same time setting at rest the question of their being upon island ormainland. 

The opportunity was favourable, for, though the soft steamy cloudfloated over the land as before, shutting them off from the mountainslope, the volcano had been for days perfectly quiet--there had been noexplosions, no subterranean rumblings or shocks, everything pointed tothe fact that the eruption was at an end, and the mountain settling downinto a state of quiescence. 

"I should like to go with you very much, " said the mate. "I've had ashort ladder knocked together for mounting steep bits and making abridge over rifts and cracks, and I have a kind of longing to see what acrater is like. "

"Well, you are coming, of course, " said Oliver. 

"No, I'm going to stay and take care of my ship. Why, if I went withyou I should take it as a matter of course that a canoe would land closeto our boat, and the savages come straight across to the brig andplunder her. It would be sure to happen if I went away. "

"Nonsense!" cried Oliver, laughing. 

"Ah! you may call it so, young gentleman, but I know how these thingswill happen. No, I stop by my ship, and if the beggars do come, the menand I will make a stiff fight of it till you folk come back to help medrive them to their canoe. "

No persuasion would alter the mate's plans, but he eagerly forwardedthose of the naturalists, and arranged for Smith and Wriggs to bear themcompany, even offering two more men, but Panton was of opinion that thesmaller their number was the more likely they were to be successful, andthe next morning they started--a well armed party, Wriggs and Smithcarrying a ladder and little tent, the others the food and water. 

Then in due time the boat was reached and rowed along the lagoon tillthe end of the mist and the effervescent water were passed, and at last, a good mile farther than the attempt had been before, they put ashore, drew up their boat in the cocoa-nut grove which went on far as eye couldreach, and, with the men shouldering the traps after the boat had beenhidden, they started over fresh ground for the slope. 

The route was plain enough if they could follow it, for there, highabove them, was the balloon-like cloud of steam and smoke floating overthe crater, the only mist in the pure blue sky, and looking dazzling inthe sunshine as a film of silver. 

"I don't see why we cannot easily do it, " said Panton, as he shifted hisgun from one shoulder to the other. "What we have to do is to avoid thethick forest and make at once for the slope of cinders and ashes. Thenwe can zigzag up. It looks no distance to the top, and we could do iteasily to-night. "

But the mate's plan was considered the best: to get some distance up andpitch their tent at the edge of the forest at its highest point, andthen have their good night's rest and start upward as soon as it wasdaylight. 

They carried out this idea, skirting round the dense patch of forest, and getting above it to the open ground, where they had to wind in andout among rifts and blocks of lava which formed a wilderness below theash slope. Then, going close to the forest edge, they soon found water, a couple of little sources bubbling out from among the rocks, and oddlyenough within a few yards of each other, one being delicious, cool, andsweet, the other so hot that they could hardly immerse their hands, andwhen it was tasted it was bitter and salt to a degree. 

While the two men set up the tent and made a fire to boil the kettle, ashort expedition was made by the three young naturalists, it being asettled thing that there was to be no collecting next day, but everynerve was to be strained to reach the mountain top. 

The ash slope ran up rapidly from where they stood, as they shoulderedtheir guns and looked about them, and naturally feeling that they wouldhave enough of that the next morning they turned down among the lavablocks for a short distance and then paused before plunging into theforest below. 

From where they stood they were high enough to see that there was not somuch as a bush above; all was grey, desolate, and strange, and thewonder to them was that the trees beneath them had not been burned up inone or other of the eruptions which must have taken place. Possibly, they felt, the sea winds had had some effect upon the falling ashes andhot steamy emanations and driven them from the forest, but it was aproblem that they could not explain, and it was given up for the instantand left for future discussion. 

There were other things to see that hot late afternoon, each full ofwonder and beauty, and appealing to one or other of the party, each manfinding enough to satisfy even his great desire for knowledge; and inturn, and with plenty of tolerance for each other's branch of study, they paused to examine incrustations of sulphur, glorious orchids, andbird and beetle, gorgeous in colour, wonderful in make. 

But nothing was collected, only noted for future exploration, and, growing faint, hot, and weary after an hour's walking at the edge of theforest, they turned to retrace their steps, when Panton stepped upwardfor a few yards to try the edge of a little slope of fine ash--for theheat there was intense. 

To his surprise the ashes into which he plunged his hands were quitecool, and yet the air around was at times almost suffocating. 

"Must be a downward draught from the mountain top, " said Panton at last, and then he looked sharply round, for Oliver had suddenly cocked hisgun. 

"What is it?" asked the others. 

"Look out. There's something or somebody tracking us just inside thetrees. I've seen the leaves move several times, but always thought itwas the wind. "

"Hallo! Hark!" cried Drew, excitedly. "Don't you hear?"

It was nearly sunset, and the little party knew that they had about anhour's walk before they could reach camp. The darkness was fastapproaching, but they stopped short to listen. 

In vain for a few minutes, and they were about to start again, when thesound that had arrested Drew's attention was heard plainly now by all--along, low, piteous cry as of some one in agony, and in the greatsolitude of the mountain-side the cry was repeated, sending a chill ofhorror through the bravest there. 

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. 

TOMMY SMITH'S GHOST. 

"Must be one of the men, " said Oliver, excitedly. "Come on. "

"But that thing you saw below there among the trees?"

"We can't stop about that. It's some kind of great cat. I'll trythis. "

He raised his gun and fired quickly in among the trees to scare thecreature, whatever it might be, and there came in response a snarlingyell, followed by a crashing, as of the animal bounding away through theundergrowth. 

Directly after there came from high up a second report, as if from aminor explosion of the volcano, but it was evidently only the echo ofthe gun. 

There was another sound though, which was far more startling andawe-inspiring, and made the three young men draw together and standgazing upward, waiting to find which direction would be the safest inwhich to flee. 

For, directly after the echo, there was a strange whispering noise as ofcinders sliding one over the other a long distance away and right uptowards the crater above their heads. 

As naturalists they knew on the instant what this meant, and it struckall in the same way--that it resembled the falling of a little hardgranulated ice in a mountain--the starting of an avalanche. And as theash and cinder, with the vitrified blocks of stone, lay loose on themighty slope, they felt that it was quite possible for the firing of thegun to have caused an avalanche of another kind. 

In a few seconds they knew that this was the case, for the whisperingrapidly increased into a loud rustling, which soon became a rush, anddirectly after increased to a roar; and now, for the first time, theybegan to realise how vast the mountain was in its height and extent, forthe rushing sound went on and on, gathering in force, and at last Drewexclaimed, as he gazed upward at an indistinct mist apparentlytravelling down towards them, --

"Come on; we shall be swept away. "

"No, no, " cried Panton and Oliver, almost in a breath; "We may be assafe here as anywhere. Perhaps we should rush into more danger. "

And now the warm, ruddy glow of the setting sun was obscured by risingclouds, which they at once grasped were dust; a semi-darkness came on, and through this they had a glimpse of the mountain-side all in motionand threatening to overwhelm them where they stood. 

It was hard work to master the feeling of panic which impelled them torun for their lives, but fortunately they had strength of mind enough tostand fast while the tumult increased, and, joining hands, they kepttheir places with hearts throbbing, half-suffocated by the dust whichnow shut them in, while, with a furious roar, the avalanche of cinder, stones, and ashes swept by, not twenty yards from where they stood, andsubsided amidst the cracking of boughs and tearing up of trees at theedge of the forest. 

It was like the dying sighs of some monster, the sound they hearddirectly after growing fainter and fainter, till there was the merewhisper made by trickling ashes, then even that subsided, and they stoodin a cloud of dust, listening while it slowly rolled away. At last, asthey gazed downward, there, below them, to the right, was a huge openingtorn into the forest, with broken limbs, prostrate trunks, and greatmop-like roots standing up out from a slope of grey cinders and calcinedstones. 

"What an escape, " muttered Oliver. "Warning: we must not fire againnear the mountain. "

"Hark!" cried Panton. "There it is again. "

For, from a distance, came a long, low, mournful shout, and directlyafter it was repeated, and they made out that it was the familiarsea-going _Ahoy_. 

"It's only one of the men, " said Oliver, and, putting his hand to hismouth, he was about to answer, but Panton checked him. 

"Will it bring down another fall?" he whispered. 

"No, no. There can be little fear of that now, " said Oliver. "All theloose dusty stuff must have come down, " and he hailed loudly; but hiscry had, apparently, no effect, for it was not answered. 

"Come on, " said Panton, after a few moments' pause in the awful silence, which seemed to be far more terrible now, after the fall; and in thegathering darkness they started off, with the edge of the forest ontheir right to guide them. But the first part of their journey was noteasy, for they had to climb and struggle through the ash and cinders, which had fallen, for a space of quite a couple of hundred yards beforethey were upon firm ground. 

Then, as they stopped for a few moments to regain their breath, therewas the mournful, despairing _Ahoy_! again, but though they answeredseveral times over, there was no response till they had tramped onamidst increasing difficulties for quite a quarter of an hour--thatwhich had been comparatively easy in broad daylight, growing more andmore painful and toilsome as the darkness deepened. 

Then, all at once, after a response to the mournful _Ahoy_, there came ahail in quite a different tone. 

"Ahoy! Where away?"

"All right! Where are you?" cried Oliver. 

"Here you are, sir. Here you are, " came from not a hundred yards away, and directly after they met Wriggs. 

"It's you, then, who has been hailing, " cried Oliver. "Why didn't youanswer when we shouted?"

"Did yer shout, sir? Never heerd yer till just now. Thought I shouldnever hear no one again. Got lost and skeered. But I've found you atlast. "

"Found us, yes, of course. What made you leave Smith and come afterus?"

"Didn't, sir. He left me and lost hisself, and I couldn't find him. Itwas soon after we'd lit a fire. He went off to get some more wood andthere was an end of him. "

"What, Smith gone?"

"Yes, sir. He's swallowed up in some hole or another, or else eat up bywild beasts. I couldn't find him nowhere, and I couldn't stand it alonethere among them sarpents. "

"Serpents? What, near our camp?" said Drew, who began to think of theiradventure in the cabin. 

"Yes, sir, " said Wriggs, who was all of a tremble from exertion anddread. "I stood it as long as I could, with 'em hissing all round me, and then I felt as though if I stopped alone much longer I should go offmy chump. "

"What?"

"Go raving mad, sir, so I shoved some more stuff on the fire, and assoon as it began to blaze and crackle there was a bigger hissing thanever, and the serpents all came rushing at me, and I ran for my life andto try and find you. "

"Come along, " cried Panton. "We must get back and find Smith. "

"You never will, sir, " said Wriggs, dolefully. "Poor old Tommy's gone. I expect it was the snakes. They must have smelt as it was we whoskinned their mates. I had a narrow escape from 'em. "

"Did you see them?" asked Oliver. 

"Well, sir, I didn't zackly see 'em, but I could hear 'em all about meawful. "

"Then you are not sure they were snakes?"

"Not sure, sir? Why, that I am. Nothing else couldn't keep on hissingat you but snakes and sarpents. Oh, lor! it's a horful lonesome place, I was a shivering all down my back. Why, not long ago, while I wascoming along hailing of yer, I heard a mountain come sliding down likethunder, and shooting loads o' stones. "

"You've been scared, Wriggs, " said Oliver, as he hurried the man back. "Tell me again. "

"What, 'bout being scared, sir?"

"Nonsense, we mustn't be scared at a noise; I mean about Smith wanderingaway. "

"Aren't nowt to tell, sir, only as he went to get some more wood, andthe sarpents caught him. Swaller a feller up whole, don't they, sir?"

"Serpents do swallow their food whole, " said Oliver. 

"Ah, that accounts for his not answering when I shouted. Of course, Icouldn't hear him or him me if he was swallowed down into some longthing's inside. "

"There, that will do, " said Oliver, impatiently. "I say, Panton, are wegoing right?"

"Must be; the edge of the wood is below us on the right. "

"But everything looks so different. "

"Yes, looks dark, " said Drew. "But we ought to be pretty close to theplace now. "

"I'm afraid we've turned up too much among the rocks. It will behorrible to be lost now. I wish we had not come, " said Panton. "Weought to be resting ready for our work to-morrow. "

"All right: we've passed the opening into the forest, " cried Oliver. 

"How do you know?"

"Look back a little, and you'll see the gleam of the fire. There, look. "

For, as they stopped and glanced back, there was a sudden blaze of lightfrom some fifty yards below them, as if the fire had fallen together andflashed up. 

"I thought we couldn't be far away, " continued Oliver. 

"Look, look, sir, " whispered Wriggs, stopping short, and catching theyoung man's arm. 

"What at? The fire? Yes, I see it. "

"No, sir, close to it. There, it's a-moving. Tommy Smith's ghost. "

"Ahoy, ghost!" shouted Oliver, as he caught sight of the figure. 

"Ahoy it is, sir, " came in stentorian tones. "Seen anything o' poorBilly Wriggs, sir? He's wanished. "

"Mussy on me, Tommy, " shouted Wriggs, running forward to grasp hiscomrade's hand, "I thought you was a dead 'un. "

"Not so bad as that, messmet, " said Smith shaking hands heartily, "but Ihad a nasty tumble down into a sort o' crack place, and it reg'larstunned me for a bit, and when I come back you was gone. "

"But did you hear 'em?" said Wriggs, in a husky whisper. 

"Who's 'em?" said Smith. 

"Sarpents. "

"What, a-hissin' like mad?"

"Ay. "

"'Tarn't serpents, Billy, it's some hot water holes clost by here, andevery now and then they spits steam. Fust time I heerd it I thought itwas a cat. "

Half an hour later all were sleeping soundly, only one having hisslumber disturbed by dreams, and that was Wriggs, who had turned over onhis back, and in imagination saw himself surrounded by huge snakes, allin two pieces. They rose up and hissed at him while he struggled to getaway, but seemed to be held down by something invisible; but the mosthorrible part of his dream was that some of the serpents hissed at himwith their heads, and others stood up on the part where they had beendivided, and hissed at him with the points of their tails. 

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. 

UP THE MOUNTAIN. 

The sun was shining upon the globular mist which floated high up overthe top of the mountain when Panton woke and roused his companions, andwhile the men raked up the embers, added wood to get the kettle to boil, the three young companions walked to the spring for a bathe, by way ofpreparation for an arduous day's work. Here they found, deep down in acrack among the rocks, quite an extensive pool, into which the hotspring flowed, and a journey of thirty or forty yards among the rocks, exposed to the air, was sufficient to temper its heat into a pleasantwarmth, whose effects were delicious, giving to the skin, as it did, consequent upon the salts it contained, a soft, silky feeling, whichtempted them to stay in longer. 

"It wouldn't do, " said Panton, withdrawing himself from the seductiveinfluence of the bath. "It would be enervating, I'm sure. "

"Yes, let's dress, " cried Oliver, and soon after they were making ahearty meal, gazing up at the great slope they had to surmount, andnoting as they ate, the sinuous lines which appeared here and there uponthe mountain-side, and which they knew, from experience, to be cracks. 

"Must dodge all of them, if we can, " said Panton with his mouth full. "If not, Smith must lay the ladder across for a bridge. "

"But, I say, Lane, " said Drew, after gazing upward for some time insilence, "didn't you lay it on a bit too thick when we found you?"

"Yes, " said Panton, "about the difficulty of the climb. Why, it looksnothing. Only a hot tiring walk. I say, we ought to be peeping downinto the crater in an hour's time. "

"Yes, we ought to be, " said Oliver, drily. "Look sharp, my lads, eatall you can, and then let's start. The tent can stay as it is till wecome back. We'll take nothing but some food and our bottles of water. You carry the ladder, Wriggs, and you that long pole and the ropes, Smith. "

"Ay, ay, sir, " said the men in duet, and a quarter of an hour laterOliver, as having been pioneer, took the lead, and leaving the ruggedrocky ground they planted their feet upon the slope and began to climb. 

"Don't seem to get much nearer the top, " said Drew at the end of twohours, when he had proposed that they should halt for a few minutes toadmire the prospect, in which Panton at once began to take a great dealof interest. 

"No, we haven't reached the top yet, " said Oliver, drily. 

"What a view!" cried Drew. "Oughtn't we soon to see the brig?"

"No, " replied Oliver; "if we cannot see the mountain from the vessel, how can we expect to see the vessel from the mountain? Ready to go on?"

"Yes, directly, " said Panton. "You can see the ocean, though, and thesurf on the barrier reef. But I don't see any sign of savages. "

"Phew! What's that?" cried Drew, suddenly. 

"Puff of hot air from the mountain, or else from some crack. There mustbe one near. "

Oliver looked round and upward, but no inequality was visible, and theyclimbed slowly and steadily up for some hundred yards before Panton, whowas now first, stopped short. 

"I say, look here!" he cried. "We're done, and must go back. "

Oliver joined him, and then gazed away to the west. 

"This is the great crack I told you about, " he said, "but it is muchnarrower here. "

"And not so deep, eh?" said Panton, with a slight sneer. 

"That I can't say, " replied Oliver; "deep enough if you could lookstraight down. Here, Smith, let's have the ladder. Will it reach?"

The two men came up with the light ladder and pushed it across to findthat it was long enough to act as a bridge with a couple of feet tospare. 

"But it looks too risky, " said Drew, while the two sailors glanced ateach other and scratched their heads as they wondered whether one ofthem would be sent forward to try the ladder's strength. 

"Yes, it looks risky, " said Oliver, coolly, "but we have to do it. "

"No, no, " said Panton warmly, "it is too bad. I was disposed to chaffyou, Lane, because you threw the hatchet a little about your adventures. It would be madness to cross that horrible rift. "

"Hear, hear, " said Smith, in an undertone. 

"As aforesaid, " said Wriggs. 

"We're going across there, " said Lane, coolly. "It's the nearest way upand only needs care. "

"But, oh! poof!" exclaimed Drew, "you can smell a horrible reek comingup. "

"Yes, that's what we keep getting puffs of as we climb. Give me the endof that coil of line, Smith. "

"Ay, ay, sir. "

"Will it bear me?"

"Half a dozen o' your sort, sir. It's quite noo. "

"Good, " said Oliver, securing the end tightly about his chest. 

"Then you're going to venture?" said Panton. 

"Of course, and you're all coming, too. But you'll hold the line and ifthe ladder breaks or I slip off, you'll hang on and drag me out?"

"Of course. But--"

"Never mind the buts, " said Oliver, smiling, and just then, piqued byhis companion's banter, he would have crossed had the danger been fargreater. 

"I say, " cried Drew, "won't the sides crumble in from under the ladder?"

"Not likely, " said Oliver, coolly; "there's a little ash at the edges, but just below it is solid lava rock. "

"Yes, that's so; and this is a huge crack formed in the cooling, " saidPanton. 

"Ready!" cried Oliver. "Hold the rope so that there is no drag upon me, but be ready to tighten. "

No one spoke, and Oliver walked to the ladder, placed one foot upon around, leaned forward, and looked down. 

"You can see here, " he said, without turning his head, "it goes downtill all is black darkness. Now then, let the rope slide through yourfinger. Ready?"

"Yes, all right. "

Then, to the horror of all, instead of going down upon hands and knees, and crawling across, Oliver stepped boldly on upright from round toround, till he reached the centre, where he stopped short, for theslight poles of the ladder had given and given, sinking lower, till itseemed as if they must break. Oliver knew it well, and had stoppedshort, expecting to feel the check of the rope, which grew moist in thehands which involuntarily tightened around it. The party in safetywatched with starting eyes, and breath held till, after a pause of someseconds, which appeared to be prolonged into minutes, the bending ladderbegan to spring and creak again, as, with his balance regained, Oliverstepped on, round by round, and then reached the other side. Only abouta dozen feet, but to all it seemed like a horrible, long journey of thegreatest peril. 

"Lane, lad, " cried Panton, excitedly, as soon as his friend was over, "what madness to go like that!"

"Shouldn't have thought me a coward and a boaster, then, " said Oliver, sitting down about three yards from the edge of the chasm, andunfastening the rope from about his chest. "But it isn't safe to comelike that; I nearly lost my balance, the ladder bends so. Besides, itwill bear you better if you distribute your weight and come on allfours. "

"It's not safe even to do that, " said Drew, sharply. 

"As aforesaid, " grumbled Wriggs. 

"Oh, yes, " said Oliver, smiling, "you can fasten the rope around youAlpine fashion, and I shall hold one end; the others will hold thesecond end, so that we shall all have you safely enough. "

"All right, " said Drew, shortly, and he made a loop, passed it over hishead and shoulders, tightened it, and advanced. 

"Now then, draw in the line. "

This was done, and with Oliver sitting with his heels firmly against aprojection of the rock, and hauling in foot by foot, and the othersgiving, Drew went down on hands and knees, gripped the sides of theladder, and crawled across, the wood cracking a good deal, but notbending nearly so much. 

"There, " said Oliver, as Drew unfastened the rope, "now you can help mehold, and Panton can come over. "

"I'm going to walk across, " said Panton, firmly. 

"No, you are not, man, " cried Oliver; "you will crawl. We must run norisks to-day. "

Panton grumbled, but obeyed, crawling across in safety after coming to astandstill in the middle and losing his nerve as he gazed down betweenthe rounds. 

Then Wriggs came, and Smith was left to run as much risk as Oliver, forhe had only rope holders on the farther side, but he went across boldlyenough and without hesitation, the rope being steadily gathered in, andwhen he was over he took a good grip of the ladder and drew it across aswell. 

"I beg your pardon, Lane, " said Panton, in a voice that only hiscompanion could hear. "It was only banter, but I ought to have knownbetter. "

"All right, old fellow, " cried his companion. "There, say no more. "

The sun was growing intensely hot now, as Smith shouldered the ladder, and they once more started up the slope, which rapidly grew steeper, sostiff indeed was the ascent that Oliver, who led, after trying thezigzag approach and finding it too difficult, bore away to the east, making the ascent more gradual, and as if the intention was to form acorkscrew-like path round the upper part of the mountain. 

"We've done wrong, " he said, after a couple of hours' struggle upwards, "we ought to have gone to the west, and then by this time we should havebeen in the shade instead of roasting here. "

They had paused to have a bit of lunch and rest, for the heat wasintense now, and the cracks or rifts in the mountain slope morefrequent, but they were not half the width of that which had been justcrossed, and as the party had grown more confident they took each inturn readily enough. 

"We must make the best of it now, " said Panton, "and I can't helpthinking that we are doing right. "

"Why?" asked Drew. 

"It seems to me that it would be impossible to get up to the crater edgeon account of these horrible hot gases which rise from the cracks. Wehad better aim at getting round to the other side, and looking out fromthere as high up as we can climb. We shall know then whether the placeis an island. What do you say, Lane?"

"The same as you do. I've been thinking so for an hour. You see, theashes get looser as we climb higher, and the mountain steeper. Whatlooked easy enough from below proves to be difficult in the extreme, andif we go much higher I feel sure that we shall set loose a regularavalanche and begin sliding down altogether. "

A quarter of an hour later they started off again somewhat refreshed, but suffering terribly from the volcanic heat radiating from the ashesas well as from that from the sun, but they pressed on steadily, risinghigher and gradually getting round the north slope, though the fartherthey tramped over the yielding ashes, the more they were impressed bythe fact that the mountain was ten times greater than they had imaginedit from below. 

At last, late on in the afternoon, Oliver stopped short. 

"We must get back before dark, " he said. "Those chasms have to bepassed. What do you say, shall we go now?"

His proposal was agreed to at once, and they turned to have a good lookround. Above them towered the truncated cone looking precisely as itdid from the place where they had started that morning, and, whileOliver adjusted his glass, Panton took out a pocket-compass, and Drew, awatch-like aneroid barometer. 

"I can see nothing but the barrier reef just as it was when we started. Where are we now?" said Oliver. "Nearly north-east, are we not? andsea, sea, sea, everywhere, nothing but sea in this direction. "

"We are looking due north, " said Panton, as the needle of his compassgrew steady. 

"What, have we after all got round to the other side?"

"Seems so. "

"Then the place is an island. "

"Unless it joins the mainland somewhere west, " said Panton. 

"As far as I can see there is no land north or west. If we are on thenorthern side now we must be able to see it at this height. How highare we, Drew?"

"Just over four thousand feet, and I should say the mountain goes upquite two thousand more, but it is very deceiving. Then we are upon anisland?"

"Hurrah!" cried Panton. 

"I don't see where the hurrah comes in, " said Oliver, quietly, "but I'mglad that our journey has not been without some result. "

"I should have liked to get to the top though, " said Panton, lookingupward wistfully. 

"I say, you two, " said Drew, "we were to give a good look round for theniggers. "

"I've been doing so, " said Oliver, whose eyes were still at his glass, "and there isn't a sign of a hut, boat, or savage. Nothing but abarrier reef shutting in a beautiful lagoon, and the cocoa-nut palmsfringing its edge. "

"What about the lower slopes?" asked Drew. 

"Dense forest for the most part, cut through every here and there bywhat looks like old lava streams, which reach the lagoon, and formcliffs. "

"Then this side of the island is better wooded than the other?"

"Evidently, and there are two little streams running down from the darkchaos of rock, that look to me different from the rest of the mountain. You have a look, Panton. "

The latter took the glass and stood sweeping the mountain slope for someminutes, during which Smith and Wriggs sat down, and lit their pipes fora restful smoke. 

"All plain enough, as far as I can judge, my lads. That dark part inthe most wooded district is an old volcano, and this that we are onseems to be quite new and active. I should say this island has beenquiescent for hundreds of years before it burst out into eruption, andsent up this great pile of rock and ashes. Now then, what next?"

"Back to the tent before we are overtaken by the darkness, " said Drew. 

"Can we do it?" said Oliver. 

"We're going to try. Now, then, all down-hill over the soft ash, Idaresay we shall be able to slide part of the way. "

"No, " cried Oliver, emphatically, "it must be fair walking. If we starta slide of ashes and cinders, how are we to stop when we come near oneof the crevasses?"

"Or to avoid being buried?" said Drew, "Steady work is the thing. "

He had hardly spoken these words when, as if resenting their presence, aroar like thunder came from the crater, and a huge cloud shot up intothe clear sky, to curve over like a tree, and as they turned and fledonce more, a rain of ashes commenced falling. The darkness of whichthey had had so terrible an experience, threatened to shut them in highup on that mountain slope, while at any moment in their retreat theywere liable to come upon one of the openings that ran deep down into thevolcano's fiery core. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. 

AN INTERESTING FAILURE. 

One of the rifts was crossed in the dim twilight, another was avoided bymaking a circuit, and another by walking along its edge till it narrowedsufficiently for them to spring across, and after one of these boldleaps, Smith, who bore the ladder, said to Wriggs, --

"Feel 'sposed to take to a noo line o' life, messmate, if we ever getsback home?"

"Dunno. What sort?" growled Wriggs. 

"Hacerybat and tumbler by appointment to her Majesty. "

"What d'yer mean, Tommy?"

"Why, arter this practice we can do anything: balancing on poles, crawling desprit places on ladders, hanging from ropes, and standingover nothing with yer eyes shut. Feel a tug, Billy, when we jumped thatlast bit?"

"Tug? No. I on'y felt as if I was a bit a' iron, and there was a bigloadstone down in the hole, trying to pull me in. "

"Well, that's what I meant--a tug. "

"Bah! there's only one kind o' tug--a steam tug, and there's none herefor a man to feel. "

"What, aren't there a tug-o'-war?"

"Not here, messmet. But I say, I don't stomach this here darkness. It's like being at work in the hold. Mind!"

"All right, I see it coming, mate, " said Smith, as a great lump ofcinder fell close to him. "Didn't touch me. "

"Miss is as good as a mile, mate, eh? But don't it seem as if someoneup above was heaving these stones at us because we are not wanted here. "

"Come along, my lads!" cried Oliver, halting for them to hasten up. "Take my gun, Smith, and I'll carry the ladder for a bit. "

"Not me, sir, begging your pardon. This here ladder's about theawkwardest and heaviest ladder as ever was for his size. "

"Then let me rest you. "

"No, sir. I've got used to it now. You couldn't carry it. Could he, Billy?"

"Not much, lad. We're all right, sir. You go on and show us the way. If you manage, we can. "

"Better let me rest you, my lad. "

"Thank-ye, no, sir, Billy and me lays it down in the dust now and then, and sits on the edge for a rest. We're doing pretty comfortable, andonly wants to get down to the tent to tea. "

"All right, then. "

The darkness increased for a while, and they came dangerously near beingstruck by stones several times over, but escaped as if by a miracle. Then just as they were approaching one of the worst of the gaps, thecloud of smoke and ashes floated gradually away, they obtained a glimpseof the bright blue sky and were able to cross the crevice in safety, though conscious all the while that a great body of suffocating vapourwas now rising from the depths below. 

The rest of the descent to the great rift was made in the brightafternoon sunshine, every nerve being strained to get that passed beforedarkness fell, and as Wriggs, who came last this time, reached the edgewhere the others were hauling in the line they all set up a heartycheer, and gathering up the rope, set off as if refreshed, for thedangers of the ascent were at an end. 

"An hour will do it, " cried Oliver. "Then a warm bath, a good meal, anight's rest, and we shall be all right. "

"But we did not get to the top, " said Panton. 

"Well, what of that? We've found out that we are upon an island, and wehave left something else to do another day, for we must get to the edgeof the crater before we've done. "

"And now what next?" said Drew, as they tramped on down the soft ashbed, after carefully mapping out their course to the hot-spring camp. 

"Food and rest. "

"No, no, I mean about our proceedings. "

"Let Mr Rimmer construct a boat if he likes. It will keep him busy, and take I daresay a couple of years. During that time we can collect acargo of specimens, and thank our stars that we have fallen in such goodquarters. "

In spite of marking down the trees and rocks where the hot springs lay, the natural darkness of night made their task by no means easy. Objectslooked so different, and after they had reached the end of the ashslope, the inequalities of the surface were so great that they losttheir way several times over, and at last it was decided to lie down andrest under the shelter of a huge tree, when Smith suddenly exclaimed, --

"Why, this here's where I got some of the firewood last night. "

"Nonsense, " said Panton pettishly. 

"It was somewheres here as I broke a big branch off, one as was dead. "

"If it were, you would find the stump, " said Panton. 

"Course I should, sir, and here it is, " growled the man. 

"What!" shouted Oliver. "Then the tent must be close by. "

"Round at the back of a big mask o' rock, sir, as is the hardest andsharpest I ever broke my shins again. It ought to be just about whereBilly Wriggs is a-lighting of his pipe. "

"Want me, matey?"

"Yes. Look if there's a lot o' rock behind you. "

"Ay, I am a-leaning again it. "

"There you are, sir! I'll go on and light the fire and set the kettleto boil, " said Smith, and ten minutes after there was a ruddy blazelighting up the rocks and trees; a good tea meal followed, andforgetting all perils and dangers, the little party lay down to rest andenjoy the sound sleep that comes to the truly tired out. 

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. 

"POT FIRST. "

The night passed peaceably enough, and though every now and then therewas a violent hissing from close at hand, it was not noticed till justat daybreak, when Smith, who had grown brave and reckless withknowledge, drove his elbow into his messmate's ribs. 

"All right, " growled Wriggs, drowsily, "but t'arnt our watch, is it?"

"Watch? No, rouse up, my lad. Steam's up. "

"Eh? What? Steam?"

_Css_, came loudly from a crevice in the rocks so suddenly and sharply, that the sailor sprang up in alarm. 

"Oh, " he grumbled, directly after, "it's them hot water works. Ithought it was a snake. "

"Who said snakes?" cried Drew, waking up. 

"I did, sir, but it ain't. It's to-morrer morning, and we're gettingup. "

"I have raked the fire together, sir, and put the billy on to byle, "said Smith, --"not meaning you, messmate. "

"Time to get up?" cried Oliver, and he sprang to his feet. "Come on, Panton, who's for a bath?"

They all were, and coming back refreshed partook of a hearty meal whichexhausted their supplies, all but the condiments they had provided, andnecessitated an immediate return to the brig. 

"Only it seems a pity, " said Oliver, as the cries of birds could beheard in different directions, while butterflies of bright coloursdarted here and there, and the trees were hung with creepers whoseracemes and clusters of blossoms gladdened Drew's eyes. 

"Yes, it seems a pity, " said Panton, taking out his little hammer andbeginning to chip at a piece of rock. 

"There is so little to be seen close to the brig, " said Oliverthoughtfully, as he took out his handkerchief and began to polish aspeck of rust from the barrel of his double gun. 

"And I haven't collected half so much as I should like to have done, "said Drew. 

"Think Mr Rimmer would be very uneasy if we stayed here for the day anddid a little collecting?"

"Not he, " said Panton. "But what about prog?"

"I'll shoot three or four pigeons, " suggested Oliver. 

"Three or four, why, I could eat half a dozen for dinner. "

"Think so?" said Oliver, smiling; "I doubt it. "

"But I'm getting hungry again already, although I've just breakfasted. I say, though, surely we could shoot enough for our dinner. What do yousay, Drew, shall we stop till evening and collect?"

"I'm willing. "

"What do you say then, Lane?"

"By all means, this forest land at the bottom of the volcano slope isswarming with good things. We'll stay about here all the morning, andafter dinner begin to work back to the boat. So long as we can reach itby the time it grows dark we shall be all right. "

"Yes, there's no fear of making a mistake when once we get into thelagoon, " said Panton. "I could find my way to the boat-houseblindfold. "

"Boat-house?" cried Drew. 

"Well, the cocoa-nut grove, " said Panton, laughing. "Then, of course, we can easily find our way to the brig. I say, I'm precious glad thatwe have seen no signs of the niggers. It would have been very awkwardif we had found that they lived here. "

"Instead of our having the island all to ourselves, " said Drew. 

"But this must once have been part of some mainland, " Oliver remarked, thoughtfully. "Apes and leopards would hardly be found upon islandsunless they have been cut off by some convulsion of nature. "

"This must have been cut off by some convulsion of nature, " said Pantonquickly, and then, as he pointed upward toward the volcano, "and there'sthe convulser ready to do anything. There, come along, no morescientific discussions. Let's collect, but, first of all, we must thinkof the pot. "

"Are we coming back here?" asked Drew. 

"Decidedly, " cried Lane. "We'll make this camp still. Make up thefire, Smith, and you two can come with us till we have shot enough fordinner and then come back here and do the cooking. "

"Right, sir, " replied Smith. "Come along, Billy. "

The fire was well drawn together and replenished with fuel, and then, shouldering their guns, the party started; but upon Oliver Lane glancingback he called a halt. 

"Here, Wriggs, " he cried, "we don't want that ladder, nor those ropes, Smith. "

"Don't yer, sir?"

"No, we are going along the edge of the forest. Take those thingsback. "

The ladder and ropes were taken back and then a fresh start was made, the explorers keeping well to the edge of the forest for severalreasons, the principal being that they could easily get out toward thebarren slope of the mountain, and the travelling was so much easier asthey formed a line and beat the undergrowth for specimens and game. 

"Pot first, you know, " said Panton, "science later on. Are we likely toget a deer of any kind, Lane?"

"No, " said Drew decisively. 

"Why not?" said Lane. "We have seen that there are leopards, andleopards must have something to live upon. I should say that we mayfind some small kind of deer. "

"Leopards might live on the monkeys, " said Panton. 

"Perhaps so, but I'm prepared for anything in a place like this. What'sthat?"

"I can hear one of them steam engyne birds coming along, sir, " saidWriggs, from behind. 

"What birds?"

"One of them rooshy rashy ones, sir, as you called blow-horn-bills, andmakes such a noise with their wings. "

"Hornbills without the blow, my man, " said Lane, laughing. "Look out, all of you. Hornbills are fruit-eating birds, and would be goodroasted. "

There was the sharp clicking of gun-locks as the rushing sound of bigwings was heard four times over; but the birds passed to right or leftto them, hidden by the trees, and all was silent again, till after a fewhundred yards had been passed something got up in a dense thicket andwent off through the forest at a tremendous rate. 

"Lane, man, why didn't you fire?" cried Panton reproachfully. 

"Because I have a habit of looking at what I shoot, and I never had aglimpse of this. Did you see it, Drew?"

"I? No. "

"Please, sir, I just got one squint at it, " said Smith. "You did, too, didn't you, Billy?"

"I sin it twice, " said Wriggs. "It was a spotty sort o' thing, and itwent through the bushes like a flash. "

"It must have been a leopard, then, " said Panton. 

"No, " said Oliver decisively, "not that made the loud crashing noise. One of those great cats would have glided away almost in silence. Ifancy that it was some kind of deer. Keep on steadily and we may huntup another. "

But they tramped on for quite an hour, without any such good fortune, though had their aim solely been collecting specimens, theiropportunities were great. For at every opening sun-birds flitted hereand there, poising themselves before some blossom which they probed withtheir long curved bills, and sent forth flashes from their brilliantplumage like those from cut and polished gems. Every now and then too, thrush-like birds flew up from beneath the bushes--thrush-like in formbut with plumage in which fawn or dove colour and celestial bluespreponderated. Mynahs and barbets were in flocks: lories and paroquetsabundant, and at last Lane stopped short and held up his hand, for fromout of a patch of the forest where the trees towered up to an enormousheight, and all beneath was dim and solemn-looking as some cathedral, there came a loud harsh cry, _waark, waark, wok, wok, wok_, and this wasanswered several times from a distance. 

"Only some kind of crow, " said Panton, "and we don't, as the Americanbackwoodsman said, `kinder hanker arter crow. '"

"Kind of crow? yes, of course, " said Oliver impatiently. "That's thecry of the great bird of Paradise. Come along quietly, we must havesome specimens of them. "

"No, no, " cried Panton. "If we fire at them good-bye to any chance of adeer. Steal up and have a look at them, we shall have plenty morechances. "

Oliver was strongly tempted to fire, for just then a bird skimmed downfrom on high into the gloom beneath the trees, and they had a glimpse ofthe lovely creature, with its long, loose, yellowish plumage streamingout behind as if it were a sort of bird-comet dwelling amongst thetrees. Then it was gone, and the young man consoled himself with thethought that had he fired the chances were great against his hitting, and it would have been like a crime to let the bird go off wounded andmutilated to a lingering death. 

He thought this as they stood listening to the cries of the birds, harsh, powerful, and echoing as they rang out in all directions. 

"Not the kind o' bird as I should choose for his singing, eh, Billy?"said Smith, suddenly breaking the silence of the gloomy spot. 

"Well, no, Tommy, can't say as I should either for the sake o' themoosic, but there's a deal o' body in it. "

"I wish we could get hold of something with some body in it that weshould care to eat. "

"There's a something upon that tree yonder, sir, " said Smith, "one o'them little black boy chaps. See him, sir?"

"I can, " whispered Drew. "It's quite a large monkey. "

"He'd eat good, wouldn't he, sir?" said Wriggs. 

"Yes, for cannibals, " said Oliver, shortly, as he took out his doubleglass and focussed it upon a black face peering round a tall, smoothtrunk, quite a hundred feet from the ground. "Look, there's another. But time's running on. Hadn't we better get back into a more open partand begin collecting?"

"If you wish me to die of starvation, " said Panton. "I can't workwithout food. "

"Then for goodness' sake let's get on, " said Oliver, pettishly, and hehurried beneath the tree where the first monkey had been seen, and as hepassed a good-sized piece of stick whizzed by his ear and struck theground. 

"See that, Billy?" said Smith. 

"Ah, I see it. "

"Lucky for that little nigger as they're a good-hearted Christian sorto' gentlemen. If they warn't he'd go home to his messmates peppered allover with shot, and feelin' like a sore currant dumpling. "

Another half-hour was passed of what Oliver dubbed the most aggravatingnatures for beautiful specimens of bird, insect, flower, and mineralabounded, while the whole of their attention had to be devoted toproviding food. 

"I don't believe there are any deer to be had, " he cried at last, andthen he stopped short in the sunny grove, where they had halted to takea few minutes' rest. "What's that?"

"I was going to ask you, " said Panton. 

For the peculiar noise they had heard upon a former occasion came from ashort distance away, deep-toned, soft, and musical, as if a tyro werepractising one note upon a great brass instrument. 

"Quick, come on, " whispered Oliver, excitedly, and leading the way hesigned to his companions to come on abreast, and in this form they wenton cautiously in the direction of the sound, till Drew suddenly took aquick aim through an opening, and fired both barrels of the piece inrapid succession. 

Instantly there was a tremendous beating of wings, and a little flock ofhalf-a-dozen large, dark birds rose up, affording Oliver and Panton eacha shot, with the result that a couple of the birds fell heavily. 

Then the two men behind cheered, there was a rush forward through thethick growth, and four of the huge crowned pigeons were retrieved--lovely dark slate-coloured birds, which looked with their soft, looseplumage and beautiful crests, nearly double the size of ordinaryfarm-yard fowls. 

"Now, " cried Oliver, triumphantly, "back with you to the fire, and pluckand cook those. We will be with you in a couple of hours' time. But Isay, Panton, you won't eat half-a-dozen?"

The two men seized a bird in each hand, grinning with delight, andstarted off for the edge of the wood at a run, but Smith stopped andturned. 

"Byled or roast, sir?" he cried. 

"Roast, of course, " said Oliver. "You have nothing to boil them in. "

"Byling spring, sir. "

"Nonsense, man. Off with you. Now, " he continued, as the two sailorsdisappeared, "specimens. A little way farther, and then turn back. "

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. 

DANGER SIGNALS. 

Oliver suffered from a sensation of disappointment during those next twohours, for he regretted not stripping the skins from the magnificentfruit pigeons, but, as his companions said, he had no cause to complain, for he secured specimens of two beautifully feathered birds of Paradise, of an exceedingly rare kind. In addition he had a couple of brilliantscarlet and green lories, and half-a-dozen sun-birds, while Drew'scollecting box and pockets were full of specimens, and Panton perspiredfreely beneath his burden of crystals, vitrified rock, and pieces ofquartz. Several of these contained specks of metal, and provedsatisfactorily that in spite of volcanic eruption and the abundantcoral, the nucleus of the land on which they stood was exceedinglyancient, and evidently a part of some continent now submerged. 

Smith met them as they approached camp and announced dinner, and inspite of the absence of bread and vegetables, no meat was ever moreenjoyed than the roast Goura pigeons, nor greater justice done to theviand. 

"Now then for the brig, " said Oliver, decisively. "We must not stop bythe way, for the sun will soon be getting low. Mr Rimmer will becoming after us if we are not there in good time, and we've a long trampyet to get to the shore. "

"Collect as we go?" said Drew. 

"Oh no, let's be content with what we have. I shall have enough to doto preserve mine. "

"And I to arrange my little lot, " said Panton. "Here, Smith, carry afew of these. "

"Certeny, sir, but there's heaps of as good stones close to where thebrig lies. "

"Never mind that, I want these. "

"All right, sir, " said the man, cheerily, and with a bag of stones andthe ropes, and with Wriggs at his side shouldering the ladder, thelittle party started back, discussing the results of their expedition, and the fact that though they had not climbed to the crater, they hadhalf explored the great mountain. That, and the fact that there were nosavages to be seen, they felt was news enough for the mate, while, as tothemselves, they were all three more than satisfied with their finds. 

The long tramp in the forest before dinner and the dinner itself madethe journey back to the shore of the lagoon where they had left the boatseem doubly long, but they reached it at last, just as the west was oneglory of amber and gold, and the globular cloud high up over the craterappeared of a rosy scarlet. The long fringe of cocoa palms, too, seemedas if their great pinnate leaves had been cut out of orange metal, andreflected as they were in the glassy water of the lagoon, a scene ofloveliness met the travellers' eyes that made them soon forget theirweariness, and set to with a will to drag the boat over the sand, andthen launch it in the mirror-like sea. 

"Now for a gentle pull back, " said Oliver. "Shall we do it beforedark?"

"No; and there is no moon. "

"Never mind, we can easily run the boat in among the trees, and avoidthe coral blocks and the pools as we walk to the brig. Crocs are prettyactive of a night, so let's give them a wide berth. "

"Yes, we must, " said Panton, "for I daresay they'll be getting hungry asthey finish all the fish left in their larder. "

"If it had not been for those reptiles in the pools they would have beengetting offensive by now. "

"And when they have cleared them out, you think the crocs will journeydown to the sea?"

"I haven't a doubt of it, " replied Panton. 

"Then I hope they will not have begun their journey to-night, for I'mtoo tired to care about meeting enemies. "

Their row along the narrow lagoon was glorious with the cocoa-nut groveon one side and the reef with its tumbling billows and subdued roar onthe other. Then, as the sun set, the long mirror they traversed and thebacks of the curling over breakers were dyed with the most refulgentcolours, which grew pale only too soon. When the darkness closed in, the croaking of reptiles and night birds rose from beyond the grove, andthe breakers grew phosphorescent and as if illumined by a pale firetinged with a softened green, while the foam resembled golden spray asit was dashed over the coral sand. 

The sailors were relieved from time to time as they rowed on with thestars spangling the still water, so that in the distance it was hard totell where sea ended and sky began; and at last, dimly seen against thesky, three tall trees marked the spot where they ran up the boat. 

"Sure this is right?" asked Oliver, as the sharp prow touched the soft, white sand. 

"Oh, yes, sir, this is right enough, " replied Smith. "Here's our marksthat we made this morning when we ran her down. "

There was the faintly marked furrow, sure enough, and, all taking holdof the sides, the boat was run up easily enough over the soft, loosesand and then in amongst the smooth, round, curved trunks of thecocoa-nut trees till her old quarters were reached, and the paintersecured to a stout stem. 

"No fear of tide or wind affecting her, " said Oliver; "but how dark itis under these trees. Look here, Smith, I don't think you men needcarry that ladder on to-night. Leave it here. It will be ready fornext time we try the ascent. "

"All right, sir, " replied Smith. 

"I don't know, though; perhaps it will be as well to bring it along. We'll help you if you get tired. "

"I sha'n't get tired o' carrying a thing like that, sir, " said the man, with a laugh. Then he shouldered it at once and the start was made forthe brig. 

They reckoned upon it taking a good hour in the darkness, what with thecare they would have to exercise to avoid half-dried pools, scatteredfragments of coral rock, and the many heaps of snag-like trees halfburied in sand and mud, but when as near as they could guess an hour hadpassed they were still some distance from the brig and suffering from afeeling of weariness which made them all trudge along slowly andsilently in single file. 

Oliver was leading with his gun over his shoulder, the piece feelingheavier than it had ever felt before and as if it was increasing inweight each minute. 

Smith was behind him with the ropes over his shoulder, and Wriggs nowbore the ladder, coming last. 

For some minutes they had been walking in utter silence, their footstepsdeadened by the soft sand, and a terribly drowsy feeling was coming overLane, making him long to lie down and sleep, but he fought it back andstrained his eyes to gaze forward in search of obstacles, knowing as hedid that the others were trusting him to pick out the best road and keepthem out of difficulties. 

But it was very dark in spite of the stars, and hard to make anythingout till, all at once, he saw a misty and strange-looking form run by, about twenty yards ahead. 

"What's that?" he said to himself, and then he started, for Smith caughthis arm, and whispered, --

"Mr Lane, sir? See that?"

"Yes, what was it? Was it a deer?" and he involuntarily lowered hispiece. 

"Two legged 'un, sir, if it was, " said the man, softly. "Will you calla halt? I think it was a hinjun. "

"Nonsense. One of our men, perhaps, " said Oliver, testily. "Don't saythat and scare them. We're close up to the ship now. "

_Bang_. 

The sharp report of a piece came from about a couple of hundred yardsfarther on. 

"There; I knew we were close up to the brig. Mr Rimmer fired that as asignal to let us know the way in the darkness. I'll fire him one back. "

The lock clicked and Oliver raised the muzzle to fire, when a raggedvolley came from ahead, followed by a savage yelling, and as the soundsstruck a chill to every heart there was utter silence. Then came aflash and a bright gleam, which grew brighter and brighter, developinginto the sickly glare of a blue light, while as they stood there, fearing to advance, all grasped the meaning of the light. 

The brig had been attacked by the Indians. A gallant defence was beingmade, and the blue light had been thrown out to show where the enemylay. 

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. 

AN AWKWARD SCRAPE. 

The first impulse of Oliver Lane was to drop down flat upon thesun-baked sand and earth, so as to protect himself from being seen inthe glare of the blue light. His example was followed by the others, whose thoughts reverted also to the possibility of a bullet intended forthe enemy, hitting a friend. 

And there they lay listening after the dying out of the yells, andwatching the glare from the blue light as it lit up the surroundings ofthe brig, and then sank lower and lower till all was darkness as well assilence. 

Judging from what they heard, Mr Rimmer and his men were safe enough sofar, and had been aware of the Indians' attack. But what was to comenext?

The watchers asked themselves this question as they lay close togetherlistening for the slightest sound, waiting for a solution of the littleproblem which had so much to do with their future: Had the enemy seenthem when the light was burning?

Long-drawn-out minutes passed as they waited in the darkness, nowhopeful, now despondent, for Oliver felt a touch on his armsimultaneously with a soft, rustling sound, and the _pat, pat_ of nakedfeet going over the sand. 

The message of danger was silently telegraphed by a touch to the others, and every weapon was grasped, those who had guns slightly raising themuzzles, while Smith took out his jack-knife to open it with his teeth, and Wriggs, to use his own words--afterwards spoken--"stood by" with theladder, meaning to use it as a battering-ram to drive it at any enemywho approached. 

But the sound passed over to their right, and all was silent again. 

"Hadn't we better creep up to the ship?" whispered Oliver. 

"And be shot for enemies?" replied Panton, in the same tone. 

"They haven't seen us, so we had better wait till morning. "

"And then make ourselves marks for spears and arrows. "

"Better than for bullets. I'd rather a savage mop-headed Papuan shotme, than Mr Rimmer did. "

"Hist! Silence!" whispered Drew, who had crept closer. "Enemy. "

He was right, for footsteps were heard again, coming from the directionof the brig, and it seemed like a second party following the first, tillit occurred to Panton that this might be the same party returning frompassing right round the vessel. 

But they had no means of knowing, and a few minutes later they all laythere asking themselves whether they would not have acted more wisely ifthey had fired a volley into the enemy when they first came up, andfollowed up the confusion the shots would have caused by rushing to thebrig. 

"They would not have taken us for the enemy then, " said Drew. 

But the opportunity had gone by, and to add to their discomfort, a low, murmuring sound indicated that the savages had come to a halt betweenthem and their friends. 

For a good hour the party waited in the hope that the enemy would moveaway, but it soon became evident that they had settled down for apermanent halt, and the murmur of voices came so clearly to the ear thatall felt the danger of attempting to speak, lest they should bring theenemy upon them. 

Somehow, in spite of his being the youngest, Drew and Panton fell intothe habit of letting Oliver Lane take the post of leader, and when aftera long and wearisome period of waiting he whispered his ideas, they wereaccepted at once, as being the most sensible under the circumstances. 

Oliver's plan was this: to gradually creep back from the position theyoccupied, until they felt that they were out of hearing, and then tobear off to their left, and gradually get round to the other side of thebrig, which would thus be placed between them and the enemy. 

The greatest caution was necessary in the presence of so wary a foe, andit was not until this had been duly impressed upon the two sailors thatOliver began the retrograde movement so slowly and softly that hiscompanions could hardly realise the fact that he had started. 

Panton followed, then Smith and Wriggs, and Drew brought up the rear. 

They had all risen and followed one another in Indian file, almostwithout a sound. But the murmuring that was made by the Papuans camesoftly through the darkness, as if the savages were engaged in a debateupon the subject of how they had better make their next attack. 

Then all at once there was a sharp crack, for Oliver had stepped upon alarge, thin shell, which broke up with a fine ear-piercing sound, thatmust have penetrated for a long distance. 

That it had reached the spot where the Papuans were was evident, for themurmuring of voices ceased on the instant. 

"Down. Lie down, " whispered Oliver. "They will come to see what thenoise was. "

They lay down upon the soft sand, listening with every nerve upon thestrain, but not for long. Before many seconds had passed, there was apeculiar soft, rattling sound such as would be made by a bundle of reedarrows, secure at one end and loose at the other. This noise camenearer, and then at a little distance, as they held their breath, itseemed as if a shadow passed by, and then another, and another. 

Oliver's hand which held his gun trembled, not from fear, but from thenervous strain, and the knowledge that at any moment he might, for thefirst time in his life, be compelled in self-defence, and for theprotection of his companions, to fire upon a party of savages, and soshed the blood of a human being. 

He stretched out his left hand as the third shadowy figure went lightlyby, and touched Panton's arm, to have the extended hand caught andpressed warmly. 

This was encouraging, and told of a trusty friend ready to help. Thenthey lay there upon their breasts for some minutes, gazing in thedirection taken by the enemy, while the impressive silence continued. At last came a quick, sharp pressure of the hand, which seemed toimply--Look out! Here they come. 

For at that moment, the quick, soft beat of feet came again, and threeshadowy figures passed so close to them that it seemed impossible forthem to remain unseen, but their clothes assimilated so with thesun-burned sand and earth that the enemy passed on, and in a minute ortwo the murmuring of voices arose once more. 

"Come on, " whispered Oliver, and he rose quickly, while the word waspassed to the others, and they recommenced their retreat, taking everystep cautiously. 

It was not an easy task, for there was no judging distances by anyobject, and hence Oliver had to walk straight away into the darkness, till he guessed that he was far enough distant. Then he began to veerround to his right, and he had hardly done this, when from somewherebehind came a sharp sound, best expressed by the word _Thung_!accompanied by a sharp whizz. 

No one needed any telling what had produced that noise, for it wasevident that one of the Papuans had hung back to keep watch, and hearingif not seeing, he had sent an arrow in the direction by which the partywas retreating. 

Oliver halted for a few moments with the thought in his mind which tookthe form "poisoned, " and he listened for some exclamation from one orother of his companions indicating pain, or the sound of a fall. Butall was still. The others had given up to him as leader, and when hestopped they halted, and when he moved on again they followed, in fullexpectation of another arrow whizzing by. 

But none came, and increasing his speed now and trying as well as hecould to move in a curve large enough to carry him round to the otherside of the brig, Oliver pressed on. 

"Oh, if only they would burn another blue light, " he muttered, asstriving to pierce the darkness ahead, and with his gun across hisbreast ready for instant action, he went on and on, with all kinds ofcurious thoughts occurring to him as his pulses beat heavily, and evenhis brain seemed to throb. Stories he had read and heard of people whowere lost moving in a circle and getting back to the place from whichthey had started troubled him, others of people wandering about in thedark and going over the same ground, and of others walking right intothe very spot they sought to avoid. These and similar thoughts made himbreak out into a cold perspiration, and wish that Panton had taken thelead. 

But all the time he was steadily walking on in the direction he believedto be correct, till he felt at last that he must be level with the brig, then passing it, and again that he must be well on his way now, and thatit was time to turn more sharply round and get up to the other side ofthe vessel. Then--_Splash_!

He drew back with a chill of dread running through his frame, for he hadreached the edge of a pool, and there was no water within half a mile ofthe spot where the brig lay. 

"What is it--water?" whispered Panton. 

"Yes, I have come wrong. "

"No, you haven't, only kept straight on instead of bearing more to yourright. "

"But I thought I was bearing well to the right, " whispered Oliver. 

"So did I--too much, but you see you were not. This is thehalf-dried-up pool, where there are three crocos. I saw them the otherday. "

"It can't be. "

_Splash, splash, splash, splash_!

Four heavy blows given to the surface of the water by the tail of agreat reptile, for the purpose of stunning any fish there might be closeat hand. 

"Yes; you're right, " said Oliver. "Then we ought to bear away to theright now?"

"That's it. Go on. "

Fortunately the ground was open now, and there was nothing to dread butthe scattered blocks of coral which it was too dark to see, but Oliverstepped out boldly, chancing a fall over any of these obstacles, and forthe next ten minutes or so he made pretty good progress, and felt surethat he was going right, for he every now and then stepped short withhis right foot. 

"I must be near the brig now, " he said to himself, and after graduallyslackening his pace he stopped short and listened, in the hope ofhearing some sound on board the vessel, and to his great joy there was awhispering not far away. Reaching out his hand, he touched Panton, andthen placing his lips to his companion's ear he said, --

"Can you hear that?"

"Yes, some one talking. "

"Well, I make it out to be on the brig. What are we to do next?"

"Creep a little nearer, and then wait for morning. If we go too close, the next thing will be a shot in our direction. "

"Hark!"

"What is it?"

"Listen. Isn't this peculiar?"

Panton was silent there in the darkness for a few minutes, and then withhis lips to Oliver's ear, --

"I say, " he said, "isn't this rather queer?"

"What? I don't understand you. "

"If that's people on the brig she's coming nearer to us; I thought atfirst that the wind might be bringing the sound, but it isn't. Thesound's coming closer. "

"Mr Rimmer is down, then, patrolling round with some of his men. Becareful, or they may shoot. "

"Not he. Mr Rimmer wouldn't leave his wooden fort in the darkness. Listen. "

"Yes, you're right. Whoever it is, is coming this way. "

"It's the enemy, then, and we must retreat again. "

"But which way? What are we to do? We must be near the brig atdaybreak, so that as soon as it is light we may make a rush for it. "

"We ought to be, but we mustn't be within sight of Mr Papuan atdaybreak; for, so near as we are, we shall have some of his arrowsquivering in us. I don't know that I am very much afraid of a wound asa rule, but I am awfully scared about having a poisoned arrow in me. Idon't want to die of locked jaw. "

"Hist. Back, " whispered Oliver. "We must go somewhere, for they'recoming on, and it sounds like a good number of them. "

Talking was quite plain now, and those who spoke were evidently full ofconfidence, for one man spoke in a loud voice, and a chorus of agreementor dissent arose, otherwise the enemy must have heard the whispering ofthe little party, which now retreated steadily, but with the result thatOliver grew confused, for he felt that he had entirely lost all sense ofdirection, and letting Panton come up abreast he told him so. 

"Don't matter, " said the latter. "You've evidently been going allwrong, and no wonder. Nature never meant us to play rats and owls. ButI daresay we shall get right after all. I wish there were some trees sothat we could shelter under them, and--"

"But there is nothing for a long distance but those barren rocks aquarter of a mile from the brig's bows. If we could reach them. "

"Yes, where do you think they are?"

"I can't think. I don't know, only that they must be somewhere. "

"Yes, that's exactly where they are, " said Panton, with a little laugh. "Somewhere, unless the earth has swallowed them up, but where thatsomewhere is I don't know, nor you either, so we're lost in the dark. "

"Hush, not so loud, the daylight cannot be very far-off now. "

"What? Hours. I don't believe it's midnight yet. "

"There, I told you so, " whispered Oliver, a few minutes later, "there'sthe dawn coming and the sunrise. "

"Nonsense, it's the moon; but look here, oughtn't we to be facing theeast now. "

"Yes, according to my calculations, " replied Oliver. 

"Your calculating tackle wants regulating, for so sure as that's themoon rising over yonder we've been working along due west. "

"Tut, tut, tut!" ejaculated Oliver, as he gazed round at the faint lighton the horizon, "and I did try so hard. But that must be the dawn. "

"Then it has got a good, hard, firm, silvery rim to it. Look! That'suncommonly like the moon, isn't it?"

Panton pointed to where the edge of the pale orb came slowly above thehorizon, looking big, and of a soft yellowish tarnished silver hue. 

"Yes, it's the moon sure enough, " said Oliver. "I'm all wrong. Weshall be able to make out where the brig is, though, when it gets alittle higher. "

"And the niggers will be able to make out where we are, and skewer usall with arrows, if we don't look out. Hadn't we better all lie down?"

"No, no, let's aim at getting back on board. We shall be strongerthere, and it will be a relief to Mr Rimmer to have us all back againsafely. Better wait. I can't hear the enemy now, and in a few minuteswe may be able to see the brig. What do you say, Drew?"

"All right. "

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. 

IN A FOG. 

"Look-ye here, old mate, " growled Wriggs to his companion, "I'm gettingjolly well sick o' this here job. "

"Why, yer ungrateful beggar, what are you grumbling about now? You hadtoo much o' them joosety pigeons, and it's been too strong for you. "

"'Tarn't that, " growled Wriggs, in a hoarse whisper. "It's this hereladder. "

"What's the matter with the ladder, mate? Seemed to me to be a nicelight strong 'un when I carried it. "

"Oh, yes, it's strong enough, messmate, but it makes me feel like afool, Tommy. "

"Why so, Billy?"

"'Cause I'm having to go cutting about here like a lamp-lighter as haslost his lantern, and ain't got no lamposties near. Blow the oldladder! I'm sick on it. "

"Give us hold, and you take these ropes, " said Smith, "I never see sucha fellow for grumbling as you are, Billy. You'd only got to say as youwas tired, and I'd ha' took it at once. "

Wriggs chewed and spat on the ground, but he made no other movement. 

"Well, are yer going to ketch hold o' these here ropes?"

"No, I aren't going to ketch hold o' no ropes. Cause why? It's myspell with the ladder, and I'm a-going to carry the ladder till it'stime to give it up. "

"Well, you are a horbstnit one, Billy, and no mistake. "

"Look-ye here, are you going to keep your mouth shut? 'Cause if you'renot, I'm a-going to get furder away afore the Injuns begins to shoot. Idon't want no pysoned arrows sticking into me. "

"Course you don't, mate. Look-ye here, if I was you I'd stand thatthere ladder straight up, and then go aloft and sit on the top rung. You could rest yourself, and be a deal safer up there. "

"Chaff!" growled Wriggs. "Chaff! Better hold your tongue, Tommy, ifyer can't talk sense. What does young Mr Oliver say--Forrard again?"

"Yes. "

"Oh, all right, then, I don't mind. I'll go off 'lone with the ladderif he likes. Where's the Injuns now?"

"Dunno. But they ain't Injuns, Billy; they're savygees, that's whatthey are. "

"Why, I heered Mr Oliver call 'em pap you hans. But there, I don'tcare. Call 'em what you like, so long as I can get rid o' this ladderand rest my soldier. "

"Then why don't you put it over your other soldier, Billy, or else letme carry it?"

"'Cause I shan't, Tommy, so there you have it, sharp. "

"You men will be heard by the Papuans if there are any lurking about, "whispered Oliver just then. "Silence, and keep close behind us. "

As the moon rose higher it was not to shine out bright and clear, forthere was a thin haze floating over the sea, and consequently, as thesoftened silvery light flooded the wave-swept plain, every object lookeddistorted and mysterious. Tree-trunks, where they lay together, seemedhuge masses of coral rock, swollen and strange, and the hollows scoopedout by the earthquake wave appeared to be full of a luminous haze thatthe eye could not penetrate, and suggested the possibility of enemiesbeing in hiding, waiting to take aim with some deadly weapon, as soon asthe light grew plain enough for the returning party to be seen. 

But out in the open, as far as they could make out, no lurking savageswere visible, and as the light spread more and more, unless hidden bysome shadowy hollow, there was no danger close at hand. 

This was satisfactory and encouraging, the more so that though they alllistened with every nerve on the strain, there was now not a sound tobetray the enemy's whereabouts. 

On the other hand, in spite of the light growing stronger, there was nosign of the brig, and, worse still, everything looked so distorted andhazy, not one familiar object to enable them to judge of their position. 

"It's just like looking through a big magnifying glass, " whisperedOliver, "at the point when everything is upside down and distorted frombeing out of focus. "

"Perhaps so, " said Drew, "but we're not looking through a magnifyingglass. "

"I wonder that you, a man who is always using a microscope, should talklike that, " replied Oliver. "We are not looking through a glass, certainly, but we are piercing a dull transparent medium, caused bywater in the form of mist floating in the air. I don't want to beconceited, but my idea was quite right. "

"Quite, " said Panton, "only this is not a good time for studying optics. What we want is knowledge that shall bring us to the brig without beingshot at by our friends. "

"Hear that, Tommy, " whispered Wriggs. "We're going to be shot at now infront by Muster Rimmer and the others, while the savages shoots at usbehind. "

"Well, if we can't help it, Billy, what's the use o' grumbling?"returned his mate. 

"'Cause I've got this here ladder. What's the good of a ladder whenyou're being shot at?"

"None as I sees, Billy. "

"'Course not. Now, if it had been a good stout plank, there'd be somesense in it. "

"What, you'd shove it behind yer when the niggers was shooting harrers?"said Smith, thoughtfully. 

"O' course. "

"And afore yer when Muster Rimmer was lettin' go with his revolver or agun. "

"Right you are, mate. That's it. "

"Might keep off a harrer, " said Smith, thoughtfully, "but bullets wouldgo through it like they would through a bar o' soap. "

"Yah, that's where you allers haggravates me, Tommy. I knows you'recleverer than I am, but sometimes you do talk so soft. "

"What d'yer mean?"

"I mean what's the good o' you hargying whether a bullet would gothrough a thick plank or whether it wouldn't, when it's on'y a splitpole and so many wooden spells. Don't you see it ain't a board but on'ya ladder; and I'm sick on it, that I am. "

"Then let me carry it. "

"Sharn't!"

"Will you two men be quiet?" said Oliver in a sharp whisper. "Do youwant to betray our whereabouts to the enemy?"

"It aren't me, sir, it's Tommy Smith keeps a-haggrywating like. "

"I aren't, sir! it's Billy Wriggs a-going on about that ladder as he'sgot to carry. "

"Well, it is a nuisance to be carrying a thing like that about allnight. Lay it down, man. I daresay we can find it again in themorning. Now follow us on quietly. "

Oliver joined his companions, and the two sailors were left a little waybehind. 

"Now, then! d'yer hear?" whispered Smith. "He telled yer to chuck thatthere ladder down. "

"I don't care what he telled me, Tommy. He aren't my orficer. I was tocarry that there ladder, and I'm a-goin' to carry that there ladder tillmy watch is up. "

"Yah! yer orbsnit wooden-headed old chock. "

"Dessay I am, Tommy, but dooty's dooty, and ship's stores is ship'sstores. I've got to do my dooty, and I aren't going to chuck away theship's stores. That sort o' thing may do for natralists, but it don'tcome nat'ral to a sailor. "

"You won't be better till you've had a snooze, Billy. Your temper'sdownright nasty, my lad. I say, what's that?"

"Which? What? Wheer?"

"Yonder, something fuzzy-like coming along yonder. "

"Niggers, " whispered back Wriggs. "You can see their heads with thehair standing out like a mop. But say, Tommy, what's that up yonderagain the sky?"

"Nothin' as I knows on. "

"Not there, stoopid: yonder. If that there ain't the wane on the top ofour mast sticking up out of a hindful o' fog, I'm a Dutchman. "

"Talking again?" said Oliver, angrily. 

"Yes, sir, look!" whispered Smith. "Yonder's the brig. "

"Can't be that way, my man. "

"But it is, sir, just under that bit o' fog. See the littleweather-cock thing on the mast?"

"Of course! Bravo! Found. "

"Yes, sir, and something else, too, " growled Wriggs. "Look yonderbehind yer. Niggers--a whole ship's crew on 'em and they're comingarter us--there under the moon. "

"Yes, " said Oliver sharply. "Now, then, for the brig. Sharp's theword. "

"Where is it?" asked Panton excitedly, as he too caught sight of theundefined hazy figures of the Papuans beneath the moon. 

"There in that patch of fog: the top mast shows above it. Altogether:run. "

They set off at full speed, nerved by a yell from the savages, when, allat once, the thin mist which had hidden the ship was cut in half a dozenplaces by flashes of light. The dull reports of as many rifles smotetheir ears, and as Oliver uttered a sharp cry, Wriggs went down with arush, carrying with him the ladder, which fell crosswise and tripped upPanton and Smith, who both came with a crash to the ground. 

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. 

THE VALUE OF A LADDER. 

A yell of triumph rose from the savages, and they stopped short to senda little flight of arrows at the knot of men struggling to their feet--no easy task, for Panton's right leg had gone between two of the rounds, and as he strove to get up he jerked the implement, and upset Smithagain. 

"Don't--don't fire, " cried Drew, who rushed forward, and none to soon;for the clicking of locks came out of the thin mist. "Friends!friends!"

A cheer rose at this; but it was answered by another yell, and thesavages came on now at a run. 

"Hurt, Lane, old chap?"

"Don't talk: forward, all of you. "

Somehow or another the little party, hurt and unhurt, rose to theirfeet, and ran hard for the brig, fortunately only a short distance away, but their speed did not equal that of the arrows winged after them, andone of the deadly missiles struck Panton in the shoulder, making himutter an angry ejaculation, stop, turn, and discharge both barrels ofhis gun at the advancing enemy. 

"Don't; don't stop to do that, " groaned Oliver. "To the brig, man--tothe brig. "

He spoke in great pain, but the two shots had their effect, for theychecked the advancing enemy for a few moments, and gave the flying partytime to struggle to the side of the brig, but utterly worn out andexhausted. Then a terrible feeling of despair came over them as theylooked up and saw that if the savages came on their case was hopeless, for the gangway was fastened up and sails had been rigged up along thebulwarks as a protection against an attacking foe, while to open out andlet down steps would have taken many valuable minutes, and given theenemy time to seize or slay. 

"Quick, my lads, throw them ropes. Hold on below, there; we'll soonhaul you up. "

Oliver saw that long before they could be dragged up it would be allover with them, and he placed his back to the vessel's side, meaning tosell his life as dearly as he could, while the others followed hisexample, feeling completely shut out from the help they had sought. 

"Fire over our heads, sir, " cried Drew, "we must not wait for ropes. "

"Yes. Guns, all of you, " cried Mr Rimmer, as the savages came on inthe moonlight, winging arrow after arrow, which stuck in the ship's sideagain and again. 

"Hooray for Billy Wriggs!" yelled Smith just then, as his comrade camepanting up last. 

"Here y'are gents, " cried Wriggs, and with steady hands he planted theladder he had been so long abusing right up against the side. "Now, then, up with yer, Mr Oliver Lane, sir. "

"No, no; up, Drew. "

"Quick: don't shilly-shally, " roared Mr Rimmer. "Now, boys, fire!"

A ragged volley came from overhead as Drew ran up the ladder, and thenleaned down to hold out his hand to Panton, who went up more slowly, with an arrow sticking in his shoulder. 

"Now, Smith, " cried Oliver. 

"No, sir. Orficers first, " was the reply. 

"Confound you, you'll be too late!" roared Mr Rimmer, and Smith sprangup as the savages came on with a rush, and, literally driven by Wriggsto follow, Oliver went up next, while Wriggs followed him so closelythat he touched and helped him all the while, the ladder quivering andbending and threatening to give way beneath their weight. 

The next moment the mate's strong hands had seized Oliver's sides andpitched him over the sail cloth to the deck, while, as Wriggs got holdof a rope and swung himself in, the ladder was seized and dragged awayas a trophy taken from the enemy, the savages yelling wildly, and thenincreasing their rate of retreat, as a fresh volley was sent after them. 

"Oh, murder, look at that!" yelled Wriggs, excitedly, as he climbed upand looked over at the retreating foe. 

"Tommy, old lad, see here. The beggars! Arter my troubles too, all thenight: they've carried off my ladder, after all. "

The moon was now high above the mist, and bathed the deck with the softlight, veining it at the same time with the black shadows of stay, spar, yard, and running rigging. 

"Don't fire, lads, " cried Mr Rimmer. "We mustn't waste a shot. Waittill they come on again. Now, gentlemen, thank God you're all back safeagain. Eh? Not safe? Don't say anyone's hurt. "

"Yes, Lane's hurt, and Panton. "

"So's Billy Wriggs, sir, " said Smith. 

"Course I am, mate, so would you be if you'd slipped your foot betweenthe ratlines of an ugly old ladder, and broke your ankle. "

"Why, I did, Billy, right up to the crutch, and snapped my thigh-bone inhalf, " growled Smith. 

"I'll see to you as soon as I can. Here, two of you carry Mr Lane downinto the cabin. "

"No, Mr Panton first, " said Oliver. "He's worst. "

"Don't stand on ceremony, gentlemen, " cried the mate, angrily. "MrDrew, are you all right?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Then take command here. You have your gun, keep a sharp look-out, andno mercy now, down with the first of the treacherous dogs who comesnear. "

"Right. I'm ready, " said Drew; "but pray see to my friends. "

Oliver was already on his way to the cabin hatch. 

"You trust me for that, sir, " said the mate. "Steady there. Ah! Anarrow! Here, quick; down with Mr Panton. "

The men who had lifted him from the deck, panting with fear and horror, were quick enough in their actions, and the two young men were soonlying one on each side of the cabin floor. 

"You shall be attended to directly, Mr Lane, " said the mate, hurriedly. "You're not bleeding much. Here, Smith, hold this cloth tightlyagainst Mr Lane's arm. "

He hurried to Panton's side, and turned him more over upon his face, showing the broken shaft of an arrow sticking through the cloth of theyoung man's jacket. Then quickly taking out his knife, he did nothesitate for a moment, but ordering Wriggs to hold the cabin lamp so asto cast its light upon the broken arrow, he inserted his knife, andripped the light Norfolk jacket right up to the collar, and across theinjured place, so that he could throw it open, and then serving the thinflannel shirt the young man wore in the same way, the wound was at oncelaid bare, and the extent of the injury seen. 

"Can't ha' gone into his heart, sir, " said Wriggs, respectfully. "'Cause it's pinting uppards. "

"Yes, " said Mr Rimmer, "imbedded in the muscles of his shoulder. Poorfellow, best done while he's fainting. "

It was rough surgery, but right. Taking hold of the broken arrow shaft, of which about three inches stood up from the wound, which was justmarked by a few drops of blood, Mr Rimmer found that it was heldfirmly, and resisted all efforts to dislodge it without violence, sojudging that the head was barbed, and that tearing would be dangerous, he at once made a bold cut down into the flesh, parallel with the flatof the arrow head, and then pressing it gently up and down, he drew themissile forth. He followed this up by carefully washing out the woundwith clean water, and finally, before bandaging, poured in some ammonia. 

Just as he gave the final touches to the bandage, Panton came to, andlooked wildly round, his eyes resting at last upon the mate's. 

"You have taken out the arrow?" he asked. 

"Yes, and made a good job of you, sir, " said the mate, cheerily. "Ididn't think I was such a surgeon. "

Panton grasped his arm, and whispered hoarsely, --

"Tell me the truth. That was a poisoned arrow, was it not?"

"How should I know?" said the mate, roughly. "It was an arrow; I'vetaken it out, bathed the wound, and what you have to do, is to liestill, and not worry yourself into a fever by fancying all kinds ofhorrors. "

"But these men poison their arrows, do they not?"

"People say so, " said the mate, bluffly, "but it doesn't follow thatthey do. Now, then, I've got to attend to Mr Lane. You've had yourturn. "

He bent down over Oliver, and began to remove the bandage which Smithhad passed round the upper part of the young man's left arm. 

"Thank goodness it isn't in the body, " said the mate. "I thought it wasat first. "

"No, sir, " said Smith. "He was all wet about his chest, and I thoughthe'd got it somewhere there, but it's a nice, neat hole right throughhis arm, and here's the bullet which tumbled out of the sleeve of hisjacket. "

He handed the little piece of lead to the mate, who took it quickly, held it to the lamp and then drawing his breath sharply between histeeth, he slipped the bullet into his pocket before slitting up Oliver'ssleeve, and examining a couple of ruddy orifices in the upper part ofhis arm. 

"Hurt you much, sir?" he said, cheerfully. 

"Hurt?" cried Oliver, angrily. "Why, it throbs and stings horribly. "

"So I s'pose. But you mustn't think that this is poisoned. No fear ofthat. "

"I did not think so, " said Oliver, shortly. "I wish I knew who it wasthat fired at me. "

"Well, " said the mate, drily, as he bathed the two wounds where thebullet had entered and passed out right through the thickest part of thearm, carefully using fresh water and sponge, "I don't think that wouldhelp the places to heal. "

"No--ah! you hurt! Mr Rimmer, what are you doing?"

"I was trying to find out whether the bone was injured. "

"Is it broken?" said Oliver, who was wincing with pain. 

"No, the bullet never touched it, sir. There's only a nice clean tunnelthrough your flesh to heal up. "

"Nice clean tunnel, indeed!" said Oliver, whose deadly faintness wasgiving way to irritability, caused by the sharp pain. "I only, as Isaid before, wish I knew who shot me. How could a man be so stupid?"

"Well, I'll tell you, " said the mate, as he softly dried the wounds. "If people come rushing out of a fog in company with a lot of yellingsavages, they can't expect other people to know the difference. Thefact is, my lad, I fired that shot, for it was a bullet out of thecaptain's gun. "

"You, Mr Rimmer!"

"Yes, my lad, and I'm very thankful. "

"What, that you shot me?"

"Yes, through the arm instead of through the chest, for I couldn't havedoctored you then. "

"I say! Oh! What are you doing?" cried Oliver. 

"That's right, have a rousing shout if it will do you good, my lad, "said the mate, whose fingers were busy. "But that's right, don'tshrink, " he continued as he went on with his task, which was that ofplugging the two mouths of the wound with lint--

"Hallo! What is it?"

A sailor's head had appeared inside the cabin door. 

"Mr Drew says, sir, as the savages are coming back, and would you liketo come on deck?"

"Yes, of course, " said the mate hastily. "Go and tell him I'm coming. "

"Yes, sir. "

The man disappeared, and the mate turned to Smith. 

"Here, " he said, "carefully and tightly bind up Mr Lane's arm, so thatthe plugs cannot come out. "

"Me, sir? Don't you want me to come and fight?"

"I want you to obey orders, " said the mate, sharply. "There, you willnot hurt, Mr Lane; and as for you, Mr Panton, don't let imaginationget the better of you, sir. I'll come down again as soon as I can. "

"You won't hurt, sir, " said Smith, with rough sympathy, as he took upthe bandage and examined the injured arm by the light of the lamp. "Buthe can. All very fine for him to say that, after ramming in a couple o'pellets just as if he was loading an elder-wood pop-gun. Look here, sir, shall I take 'em out again?"

"No, no, " said Oliver, trying hard to bear the acute pain he suffered, patiently. 

"But they must hurt you 'orrid, and he won't know when the bandage ison. "

"Tie up my arm, man, " said Oliver, shortly. "It is quite right. That'sbetter--Tighter. --No, no, I can't bear it. Yes: that will do. How areyou getting on, Panton?"

"Badly. Feel as if someone was boring a hole in my shoulder with a redhot poker. "

"So do I, " said Oliver; "and as if he had got quite through, and wasleaving the poker in to burn the hole bigger. "

"Serve you right. "

"Why?"

"You were always torturing some poor creature, sticking pins through itto `set it up' as you call it. "

"But not alive. I always poisoned them first. "

"Worse and worse, " said Panton, trying hard to preserve his calmness, and to master the horror always to the front in his thoughts, byspeaking lightly. "That's what I believe they have done to me, butthey've failed to get me as a specimen. "

"Haw, haw, haw!" laughed Smith. 

"Quiet, sir!" cried Oliver. "What have you got to laugh at?"

"Beg pardon, " said the man, passing his hand across his mouth, as if thelaugh required wiping away, "but it seemed so comic for the natives tobe trying to get a spessermen of an English gent, to keep stuffed as acur'osity. "

"Ah, they wouldn't have done that, Smith, my lad. More likely to haverolled me up in leaves to bake in one of their stone ovens, and thenhave a feast. "

"Well, they aren't got yer, sir, and they sha'n't have yer, if me andBilly Wriggs can stop it. "

"God bless you both, my lads, " said Panton huskily. "You stood by mevery bravely. "

"Oh, I don't know, sir, " said Smith bashfully. "People as is outtogether, whether they're gents or only common sailors, is mates yerknow for the time, and has to stand by one another in a scrimmage. Didone's dooty like, and I dessay I could do it again, better than what I'ma doing here. My poor old mother never thought I should come to be a'orspittle nuss. Like a drink a' water, sir?"

"Yes, please, my mouth's terribly dry. "

Smith looked round, but there was no water in the cabin, and he went outto get some from the breaker on deck, but he had not reached halfway tothe tub, before there was a sharp recommencement of the firing, and heknew by the yelling that the savages were making a fresh attack. 

The sailor forgot all about the wounded in the cabin, and running rightforward, he seized a capstan bar for a weapon, and then went to the sidewaiting to help and repel the attack, if any of the enemy managed toreach the deck. 

But evidently somewhat daunted by the firearms and the injuriesinflicted upon several of their party, the savages did not come toonear, but stood drawing their bows from time to time, and sending theirarrows up in the air, so that they might fall nearly perpendicularlyupon the deck. Many times over the men had hairbreadth escapes fromarrows which fell with a sharp whistling sound, and stuck quivering inthe boards, while the mate made the crew hold their fire. 

"Firing at them is no good, " he said, "or they would have stopped awayafter the first volleys. Let them shoot instead and waste their arrows. They'll soon get tired of that game. So long as they don't hurt us, it's of no consequence. All we want, is for them to leave us alone. "

"But it does not seem as if they would do that, " said Drew, to whom hewas speaking. 

"Well, then, if they will not, we must give them another lesson, andanother if it comes to that. We're all right now in our bit of a fort, but it seems queer to be in command of a ship that will not--Hah! Lookat that!" he cried, stooping to pull from the deck an arrow which hadjust fallen with a whizz. "You may as well keep some of these and take'em home for curiosities, sir. There's no trickery or deceit aboutthem. They were not made for trade purposes, but for fighting. "

"And are they poisoned?" said Drew anxiously. 

"Best policy is to say no they are not, sir. We don't want to frightenMr Panton into the belief that he has been wounded by one, for if hedoes, he'll get worse and worse and die of the fancy; whereas, after thespirits are kept up, even if the arrow points have been dipped intosomething nasty, he may fight the trouble down and get well again. Isay, take it that they are not poisoned and let's keep to that, for manya man has before now died from imagination. Why, bless me! if the mengot to think that the savages' weapons were poisonous, every fellow whogot a scratch would take to his bunk, and we should have no end oftrouble. "

"I suppose so, " said Drew. "But tell me, what do you think of mycompanions' wounds?"

"Well, speaking as a man who has been at sea twenty years, and hashelped to do a good deal of doctoring with sticking plaster and medicinechest--for men often get hurt and make themselves ill--I should say asthey've both got nasty troublesome wounds which will pain them a bit forweeks to come, but that there's nothing in them to fidget about. Younghearty out-door-living fellows like yourselves have good flesh, and ifit's wounded it soon heals up again. "

"Yes, I suppose so. "

"Of course, sir: when you're young you soon come right. It's when youare getting old, and fidget and worry about your health, that you getbetter slowly. Hah! there's another stuck up in the mainsail. Thatwon't hurt anybody. "

"But tell me, Mr Rimmer, when did the savages come and attack you?"

"I was going to ask you to tell me why you were all so long. I was justthinking of coming in search of you, expecting to find that you'd gonedown some hole or broken your necks, when one of the men came running upfrom where he had been fishing in that nearest pool--for the crocs andthings have left a few fish swimming about still. Up he comes to thegangway shouting, --`Mr Rimmer, Mr Rimmer, here they are, ' he says. `Good job too, ' says I. `Are they all here?' `Quick, quick, ' he says. `Get out the guns, ' and looking half wild with fear, he began to shut upthe gangway and to yell for some one to help him pull up the ladder. Ithought he was mad, and I caught hold of him as the men came running up. `Here, young fellow, ' I says, `what's the matter with you; have you gotsunstroke?' `No, sir, ' he says, `but one of their poisoned arrowswhizzed by my ear. Don't you understand? I was fishing and I'd justhooked a big one when a croc seized it, and nearly dragged me into thewater. Then, all at once, I looked up and let go of the line, for therewas a whole gang of nearly naked black fellows, with their heads allfuzzed out, and spears and bows and arrows in their hands. They were along way off on the other side of the pool, but they saw me, and beganto run as fast as ever they could, and so did I. '"

"Enough to make him, " said Drew. 

"Yes, and it didn't want any telling, for the perspiration was streamingdown his face, his hair sticking to his forehead, and you could see hisheart pumping away and rising and falling. Next minute we could see therascals stealing up looking at the brig as if they expected to see itcome sailing down upon them; but as soon as they made sure it was notgoing to move, they came shouting and dancing round us, and in theboldest way tried to climb on board. "

"Well?" said Drew, for the mate stopped. 

"Well? I call it ill, sir. "

"But what did you do then?"

"Oh! the game began then, of course. I told the men to tell them thatnobody came on board except by invitation; but they didn't like it andinsisted upon coming. "

"But could they understand English?"

"No, not a word. "

"Then how could you tell them?"

"Oh! that was easy enough, " said the mate with a droll look. "I madethe men tell them with capstan bars, and as soon as a black headappeared above the bulwarks it went down again. I didn't want to fireupon the poor ignorant wretches, who seemed to have an idea that thebrig was their prize, and that everyone was to give way to them, forthey came swarming up, over fifty of them, throwing and darting theirspears at us, and shooting arrows, so I was obliged to give them alesson. "

"Have you killed any?" said Drew. 

"Not yet. I found that hitting their thick heads was no good, so Iserved out some swan shot cartridges, and sent a lot of them back rathersore. "

"It checked them, then?"

"Yes, for a time, while we ran up that canvas and cleared awayeverything that made it easy for them to swarm up over the bulwarks. But they're so active that one's never safe. "

"Hark! what's that?" cried Drew. "Someone called `help!'"

"It came from the cabin. Come along. "

"Who's there?" said Drew. 

"I left Smith with them, but he's here, " panted the mate, as he passedthe sailor, who was hurrying back horrified by the cry he had heard. 

They were just in time to see the cabin window blocked up by blackheads, whose owners were trying to force their way in, while a couple offierce-looking wretches had their clubs raised as if about to dash outthe brains of the two injured passengers. 

There was no time to take aim. The mate and Drew both drew trigger asthey entered the cabin, when there was a savage yelling, the placefilled with smoke. Then as it rose, Oliver Lane and Panton could beseen lying half fainting upon the cabin floor, and the open cabin windowwas vacant. 

"The brutes!" cried Drew, running to the window to lean out and fire thesecond barrel of his piece at a group of the Papuans. 

"Mind!" roared the mate, as Drew passed him, but his warning was notheeded in the excitement. The need, though, was evident, for the youngman shrank away startled and horrified as half a dozen arrows came witha whizz and stuck here and there in the woodwork, and two in theceiling, while a spear struck off his cap, and then fell and stuck witha loud thud in the cabin floor, not a couple of inches from one ofOliver Lane's legs. 

"Hurt?" cried the mate, excitedly. 

"Yes--no--I can't tell, " said Drew, whose hands trembled as he reloadedhis gun. 

"But you must know, " cried the mate, seizing his arm and gazing at himsearchingly. 

"No: I don't know, " said Drew. "Something touched me, but I don't feelanything now. I am certain, though: I am not wounded. "

"For heaven's sake be careful, man!" cried the mate. "We have shelterhere and must make use of it. We are regularly besieged, and how longit will last it is impossible to say. "

As he spoke he dragged the little narrow mattress out of a bunk, and, signing to Drew to take hold of one end, they raised it and placed itacross the window to act as a screen, while Mr Rimmer thrust out onearm, got hold of a rope, and drew up the dead-light which was struckseveral times before he got it perfectly secure. 

"Oh, you're there, Smith, " he said, turning to the sailor, who, nowfeeling very penitent, was down on one knee holding a panikin of waterto Oliver Lane's lips. "How came you to leave the cabin, and with thatwindow open?"

"I didn't, sir. Window was shut fast enough when I left it, and I onlywent for some water for the gentlemen to drink. "

"And nearly sent them to their graves?" cried the mate. 

"Will you come on deck, sir, please?" cried one of the men, who had cometo the cabin door with his face looking drawn and scared. 

"Yes. What is it?" said the mate. 

"There's a lot more on 'em just come up, sir, and we think they're goingto rush us now. "

"Yes. Come on, Mr Drew. You, too, Smith. Quick, they're attacking. "

For there was a terrific yelling, and the sound indicated that it mustcome from quite a crowd. 

They rushed on deck and none too soon, for, at the first glance Drewobtained, he could see that the savages had surrounded the brig, andthat many of them bore small palm trunk poles whose purpose was evidentthe next moment, for a dozen men rushed forward and laid them from theearth to the bulwarks, sinking down directly to clasp the little treeswith their arms while as many of their companions leaped up, took ashigh a hold as they could, and then began to swarm up toward the deck. 

"It's all over now, " muttered Drew, and he took aim at a man who seemedto be the leader. 

CHAPTER THIRTY. 

AN INVALID DEFENCE. 

The shouting and yelling was so plainly heard in the cabin, that Olivertried to raise himself up, but sank back with a sigh of pain, for therough usage he had met with from the Papuans had made him lie back halffainting and speechless. But he was conscious of the words shouted bythe seaman to the mate, and of the latter's orders as he ran out of thecabin. 

Oliver groaned as he lay back upon his couch, listening to the sounds ofthe impending strife. 

"It is too hard to be left alone and helpless here, " he muttered. "Iwouldn't care if I were strong enough to go and help. "

"You there, Lane?" came in feeble tones from the other side of thecabin. 

"Yes. How are you?"

"Bad. But what's that noise? That shouting?"

"Papuans attacking the ship. "

"Oh, yes, " said Panton faintly. "I remember now. They followed us andshot me down. Ah! I should have liked to have one turn at the fellowwho drew a bow at me. Hark! they're fighting. "

"Fighting! Yes; and oh! it is dreadful to have to lie here and not beable to help. "

"Yes, I should like to help our fellows, " sighed Panton, "Drew is there, I suppose?"

"Yes, of course. Hark! they've begun firing. "

They lay listening for some minutes, and then Panton suddenlyexclaimed, --

"I'm weak and faint as can be, but I can't lie like this. Look here, Lane, old chap; if those blacks get the best of it, they'll come downhere and murder us. "

"Without mercy, " said Oliver, with a groan. 

"Well, wounded men have helped the fighting before now. Don't you thinkyou and I could do our little bit now?"

"I don't feel as if I could raise an arm, " said Oliver, "but I'll have atry. "

"So will I. It's of no use to lie here fancying one has been wounded bypoisoned arrows. I shall think of nothing but paying those fellows out. The guns are there on that locker. "

"And the cartridge bags with them, " said Oliver. 

"Then here goes. "

"Hist!"

"What is it?" whispered back Panton. 

"Some one is trying that window. "

There was no mistake about the matter, for the grating as of a greatpiece of wood was heard, followed by a cracking sound like the point ofa spear being inserted in a crevice so as to wrench open the dead-light. 

The young men looked at each other, and Panton reached out his soundarm, setting his teeth hard as he tried to master the agony he felt inhis effort, and succeeded in grasping one gun. 

The rest was easy: by its help he drew the other within reach--their ownguns which had been thrown down there when they were brought into thecabin. In another minute he had the cartridge satchels as well, andpushed one and his gun to Oliver. They both examined the breeches tosee that they were properly loaded, listening the while to thecrackling, wrenching noise. 

Meanwhile the sounds from without increased. There was plenty of firinggoing on from the deck, answered by savage yelling and the dull soundsof blows, as arrow and spear kept on striking the woodwork and flyingover the protected bulwarks to the deck. 

"Haven't got a foot on board yet, " whispered Panton, faintly. 

"No; it sounds as if they were climbing up, and our fellows keptknocking them backward. Oh, if I were only strong enough to go up andsee. "

"I'd give anything to be there, " said Panton, with his eyes brightening. 

"I say, " said Oliver, hoarsely; "does it come natural to fellows to wantto kill as soon as they get hurt and fighting's going on?"

"I suppose so. It seems to take all the fear out of you, and you don'tcare for anything. I say--look out!"

For at that moment there was a sharp splitting sound at the cabinwindow, the dead-light fell over with a sharp crack, and as a couple ofsavage grinning faces appeared, Oliver held out his gun with one hand asif it had been a pistol, and without attempting to raise his head fromthe rough pillow on which it lay, drew trigger. 

The effect was instantaneous. One moment the two Papuans were there, the next they were gone, and a heavy thick smoke rose towards theceiling. 

"Hit them?" said Panton, excitedly. 

"Must have hit them, or they wouldn't have dropped. But some of thepellets were sure to go home, for it was loaded with small shot. "

"You were too quick for me, " said Panton, huskily, as Oliver reloaded, opening the breech as the gun lay across him, only one hand being atliberty for the task. 

"Think they'll come again?" said Oliver, through his teeth, for therecoil of the gun had horribly jarred his injured arm, and there weremoments when he felt as if his senses were leaving him in a swoon. 

"Yes, they'll come again, and I must have a shot this time. Am I loadedwith small shot too? I forget. My head is so horribly muddled. "

"Yes, I think so. Look out. I'm not ready. "

Panton was looking out, and he, too, saw the top of a mop-headedsavage's fuzz begin to appear softly over the edge of the window, thendart up quickly and bob down again, after its owner had made a quickobservation. 

"Don't fire; he'll come back. "

Lane was quite right, for a hand holding a spear was raised now, theweapon poised ready to be hurled into the cabin. Then the head of theholder appeared and bobbed down once more. 

"Too quick, don't fire, " said Oliver, hoarsely. "Wait, and we'll firetogether. "

"No, no, " said Panton, faintly. "I must have this one. "

Up came the bead again sharply, the spear was poised, and, holding on bythe sill with one hand, the savage drew back to give force to his throw, which was intended for Panton, who lay there as if in a nightmare, completely paralysed, feeling that he ought to fire to save his friend, but unable to hold his gun steady for a moment, and to draw trigger. 

At last. _Bang_! A terrible yell; the spear dropped on the sill, thepoint was then jerked upwards, and struck the top of the window as thesavage fell headlong, leaving the opening clear once more. 

"Did--I hit him?" said Panton, faintly. 

"Yes, he went down at once. Quick, load again. Another will be updirectly. "

He was quite right, but Panton did not stir; he lay back senseless, therecoil of the fired piece having sent so agonising a pang through himtoo that he turned sick and fainted dead away; and this just as a couplemore spear-armed savages dragged themselves up and began to climbthrough. In fact, one was dimly seen half in before Oliver could shakeoff his feeling of lethargy and steady the gun for another shot. 

The report sounded deafening in the confined cabin, filling it far morewith smoke, which Oliver lay trying hard to penetrate as he wondered atthe silence which had now fallen. 

The window was open and no enemy was to be seen as the smoke slowly roseand floated out through the door, carried by the current of air whichset in through the window, and as there was no fresh alarm the youngnaturalist lay listening, till all at once steps were heard, and themate's voice saluted him, --

"Well, how's the wound? Hear all our noise and firing?"

"Yes, " said Oliver, slowly, "I heard. "

"But, hallo! what's the meaning of this? I thought that dead-light wasput up? and what! Guns?"

Oliver told him what had happened, and the mate caught his hand. 

"And we were so much taken up by our own firing that we did not hear asound of yours?"

"Have you beaten them off?" asked Oliver. 

"Yes, they've drawn back for the time, " replied the mate. "Then if youtwo had not helped in the defence of the brig, they would have got in?"

"I suppose so, " said Oliver; "but, pray see to Mr Panton. "

The request was necessary, and it was some time before he recoveredsufficiently to answer when spoken to, then falling into a sleep thatwas broken by feverish dreams. 

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. 

THE SCOUTING PARTY. 

Mr Rimmer felt great unwillingness for anyone to leave the brig, but atthe end of forty-eight hours, during which no sign whatever had beenseen of the enemy, he felt that some investigations must be made to seewhether they had left the island or were lurking somewhere near, in oneof the patches of forest, waiting for an opportunity to take theoccupants of the brig at a disadvantage. 

"And we know what the consequences would be, gentlemen, if they did. "

These words were spoken in the cabin where, in spite of their injuries, both Oliver and Panton eagerly took part in the little discussion. 

Ever since the attack had ceased careful watch had been kept after thewindows had been made thoroughly secure and no one had left the deck ofthe brig. But such a condition of affairs was proving terribly irksome, besides cutting off the opportunities for obtaining fresh fish and meat. 

The idea which found most favour was that the enemy had gone back totheir canoes and paddled away, but this had to be put to the test, andvarious were the plans proposed, but none seemed to possess qualitieswhich commended themselves to the mate. 

"No, gentlemen, " he said, "I think my last idea will be the best; I'llstart before daylight to-morrow morning and steer for the sea, so as tomake out whether they have a canoe on the shore. If there is not one, they must have gone. "

"And what is to become of us and the brig if you are unable to getback?" asked Oliver rather indignantly. 

"Well, " said Mr Rimmer with his eyes twinkling, "that would be ratherawkward for both of us, squire, but we won't look at the worst side ofthe case, but at the best. I'll come back if I can. "

"But I agree with Mr Lane, " said Panton. "I don't want to be selfish, but there are two things against you, Mr Rimmer, you would be desertingyour ship and crew as captain, and your patients as doctor. No, sir, you must not go. "

"Two things against me, eh?" said the mate. "And what do you say, MrDrew?"

"The same as my friends, sir. It is quite impossible for you to go. "

"Three against me, eh? What are we to do, then; stay in this wretchedstate of uncertainty, unable to stir a yard from the brig?"

"No, " said Drew. "I shall go. I'll take Smith and Wriggs. I'm used tothose two men, and they're used to me. I'll start before daylight. "

"That's good, " cried his friends. 

"Yes, " said Mr Rimmer, "that's good, and I'll agree that it is the bestthing that can be done. But you'll have to be very careful, sir, and atthe least sign of danger begin to retreat. Look here, take this oldboatswain's whistle, and if you are pressed in any way, blow it as soonas you are near the brig, and we'll turn out and come to your help. "

"Thank you, Mr Rimmer, " said Drew, cheerfully, "but I hope I shall nothave to use it. "

A good breakfast was ready a couple of hours before daylight, and MrRimmer himself called Drew up, doing everything he could to further hisobject, even to taking four men well armed and making a long circuit ofthe brig, while Drew and his two companions were partaking of a heartymeal to fit them for their task. 

"Can't see any enemy, sir, " Mr Rimmer said as he came back and foundDrew waiting impatiently. "That's right, sir, make straight for theshore, and I'd go first and see whether the boat's safe before huntingto the south for the niggers' canoe. I'd keep in the cocoa-nut groveall the way. It will shelter you all, and you'll be able to see wellenough whether there's anyone in the lagoon, for that's where theircanoes are sure to be. "

"Then you think there's more than one?" said Oliver. 

"Oh, yes, sir, I should say there are two at least. Those bigoutriggers that hold forty or fifty men each. There, Mr Drew, off withyou, please, and don't get to fighting except as a last resource--so asto escape. I won't come with you part of the way, it's better that youshould be off alone. You two lads, " he continued as they reached thedeck, and turned to Smith and Wriggs who were standing in the darknessvery proud of the rifles with which they had been armed, "I look to youto bring Mr Drew back safely. "

"Ay, ay, sir, we mean that, " said Smith. "Eh, Billy?"

"Ah, " came in a deep growl. "That's so. "

Mr Rimmer walked to the gangway and took a long steady observation, asfar as the darkness would allow. Then turning to the leader of thelittle expedition, --

"Off with you, sir. "

_Ha! ha! Ow, ow, ow_! came from a couple of hundred yards away--ahollow, diabolical kind of mocking laugh which sent a chill through thelisteners. 

"Hear that, Tommy?" whispered Wriggs as he caught his companion's arm. 

"Ay, mate, I heerd it. They're a laughin' at us, and it's as good assaying as they'll go and light a fire, and have it ready to cook thelot. "

"Gahn!" growled Wriggs. "I know now, it's one o' them stoopid-lookingTommy soft sort o' howls, as Mr Oliver Lane shot at one day. You know, lad, them big, all of a heap sort o' things, all duffie and fluff. "

Just then the cry was repeated at a distance, and soon after fartheroff. 

"Why, it's an owl!" cried Drew. 

"I thought it must be a bird, " said the mate. 

"Yer may well call 'em howls, " said Wriggs. "That's just what they dodoos. "

"I hope that's what it is, " whispered Smith, shaking his head. "I'veheered howls often enough, Billy; but I never heered one as could laughlike that. "

"Whatcher think, then, as it was one o' they blacks?"

"Ay, or, if it warn't that, one o' they hissing things as lives in theburnin' mountain. I've heerd 'em before now a pretendin' to be steamwhen yer went to look for 'em. "

"Now, my lads, off with you!" cried the mate, and they hurried down fromthe side, joining Drew with arms shouldered, and a minute after they haddisappeared in the darkness on their way to the sea. 

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. 

NATURE'S WARNINGS. 

That hot sunny day passed with Oliver Lane and Panton seated in wickerchairs, under a sail stretched out as an awning, for they both declaredthat they could get better out in the air sooner than in the stuffycabin. A regular watch was kept on deck, and, in addition, a man wasstationed in the main-top, where a doubly folded sail had been rigged soas to form sides, and to act as a protection in case he were seen by theenemy and made a mark for their arrows; but nothing particular occurred. All around looked very beautiful, for nature was beginning to rapidlyobliterate the devastation caused by the eruption and the earthquakewave. There was heat and there was moisture, with plenty of rich soilwashed up in places, and these being three of her principal servants inbeautifying a tropic land, they had been hard at work. Trees, whoseroots had been buried in mud and sand, were putting forth green buds, the water was pretty well dried away, and in places the bare earth wasshowing faintly, bright patches of a tender green, while bird andinsect, wonderful to see, were darting about like brilliant gems. 

As the two young men sat there weak and faint, but with the happysensation of feeling that they were, if only at the beginning, still onthe road back to health and strength, it seemed to them as if the eventsof the night when they returned from the expedition to the volcano mighthave been a dream. For the blacks had scared them on that day when theywere fishing, and again during the absence of part of the crew. Thenthey had disappeared as suddenly as they appeared, and possibly theymight never come again. 

Oliver thought and said so to Mr Rimmer, who, with a double gun restingin the hollow of his left arm, had joined them, for he spent nearly thewhole of his time on deck. 

"Perhaps you are right, " he said. "I hope it is so. We did give them aterrible peppering. I don't think anyone was killed, but they took awayenough shot to make them remember us by. "

"Poor wretches, " said Oliver. "They don't understand the powers ofcivilisation. "

"Poor wretches, indeed!" said Panton, giving a writhe. "I don't feelmuch pity for them. Murderous thieves. "

"They are, " said the mate, "some of them, and it's wonderful whatconceit the black beggars have. But we must not be too hopeful, forthere's no trusting savages. They jump into their canoes and they arehere, there, and everywhere in a few hours. Let's hear what report MrDrew gives us when he comes back. "

"Hang the savages!" said Panton, pettishly. 

"Must catch 'em first, sir, " said the mate, laughing. 

"They seem to have put a stop to everything, " said Oliver, joining inwith a smile. "But we'll forgive them if they'll only keep away and letus go on with our work, and, " he added with a sigh, "it is such a lovelyplace, and there is so much to do. "

"Yes, it's glorious, " said Panton, as his eyes slowly took in theirsurroundings. "Now, too, that the volcano's calming down, everythingpromises that we shall have had a glorious expedition. "

"Lovely, sir, " said the mate, drily. "What about my poor ship?"

"Yes, that is bad, but I wouldn't mind losing a brig for the sake ofreaching so wonderful a country. "

"Ah, that's where I don't agree with you, sir, " said the mate. "Theplace is very glorious, and it's grand to get to a new country--where--"

"Look! look!" cried Oliver. "Mr Rimmer, your gun! Those birds withthe long loose tails!"

"Eh? Well, I didn't pull their tails and make 'em loose, sir. Morelikely the monkeys. "

"You've lost the chance, " cried Oliver, pettishly. "Didn't you see?They were a kind of bird of paradise that I don't think I have seenbefore. "

"Those were, sir?" said the mate, looking after the birds. "Well, Ishould have said they were a kind of crow. "

"Well, so they are, but very beautiful, all the same. You might shoot afew birds for me, and I could sit and skin and preserve them, then Ishould not feel that I was losing so much time. "

"Wait till Mr Drew comes back, sir, and begin in earnest to-morrow. I'll shoot all I can then, and the men will be very glad of the birdswithout their skins, for they're longing for fresh meat, and if we can, we must have another turn at the fish. "

"And we can't go, " sighed Oliver. "I am so longing to study up thosewonderfully-marked fish. "

"You'll never get through all you want to do if we stay here for years, "said the mate, smiling. "But look there, I must have that. "

He pointed over the side to where a handsome little roe-deer had cometrotting forward away from some half-dozen companions which had haltedand were gazing wonderingly at the brig, while the one which hadadvanced, evidently more daring or more carried away by curiosity, cameon and on till it was about fifty yards from the vessel. Here it stoodat gaze, so beautiful a specimen of an animal, that Oliver felt, naturalist though he was, and eager to collect, it would be a pity todestroy so lovely a creature's life. 

There it stood in full view, profoundly ignorant of the fact that itslife was in danger, while the mate hurriedly exchanged the shotcartridge in one of the chambers of the gun for a bullet. Then, layingthe barrel of his gun upon the bulwark in an opening between two piecesof the sailcloth rigged up for defence, he said, softly, --

"This skin will do for a specimen, too, won't it?"

"Yes, of course, " said Oliver, eagerly. 

"That's right, sir, and it has a beautiful head. "

He took careful aim as he spoke. 

"That's dead on the shoulder, " he said, softly, and then he fired, theyoung men having the satisfaction of seeing the little buck go boundingaway like the wind after its companions, who went off at the flash ofthe gun. 

"Missed him, " said Panton, rather contemptuously. 

"Couldn't have missed, " said the mate, sharply. "I took such carefulaim. Wait a moment or two, and you'll see it drop. It was a deadshot. "

"Then you didn't kill its legs, too, " said Oliver; "they're livelyenough. How the little thing can run. "

"I tell you it's a dead roe-buck, " said the mate, sharply. 

"Then why does it keep on running?" said Panton. 

"That's the vitality left in it, " said the mate. "It will soon drop. I'll go after it at once. It can't run far. "

As he was speaking he hurriedly threw open the breech of his piece anddrew out the discharged cartridge. 

"Hullo!" he cried. 

"What's the matter?" said Oliver. 

"Well, hang it all!"

"Why don't you speak?"

"It's enough to make any man speak, " cried the mate, angrily. "Don'tyou see this is only a blue cartridge and number six shot? I pulled thewrong trigger. Here's the bullet cartridge in the other barrel. "

"Then you only tickled the buck, " said Panton, laughing. "Why, at fiftyyards that shot wouldn't go through the skin. "

"Humph!" said the mate, "so much the better for the buck. What a pity, though; there goes a delicious dinner of good fresh venison. "

"Never mind, you may get another chance. "

"I don't know. If this is an island, there are not likely to be a greatmany, and once they are shot at they will become shy. See anything, mylad?" he cried to the man in the sheltered top. 

"No, sir, not a sign o' nothing, " replied the sailor. 

"Keep a sharp look-out. "

"Ay, ay, sir. "

The mate turned to the wounded passengers. 

"These fellows generally have an idea that their officer is as blind asa mole, and that they are as cunning as the cleverest man who was everborn. Now that fellow thinks I don't know he was asleep at his post. "

"Was he?" said Oliver, rather anxiously. 

"To be sure he was. If he had been awake he would have seen those deerand given warning, seeing how all the men are longing for a bit of freshmeat. "

"Well, it seems probable, " said Panton. 

"No seem about it, Mr Panton. He was fast asleep, sir, till I fired. Then he woke up and was all eagerness. Now if I was not agood-tempered, easy-going sort of man, do you know what I should do?"

"Haul that bit of sail down and let him take his chance of getting anarrow in him for his neglect. "

The mate walked away, and ordered another man aloft to take theculprit's place, the offender receiving a very severe bullying, andbeing sent below. 

The day wore slowly by, and as it grew towards sundown, Mr Rimmer beganto walk faster about the deck with a growing anxiety which was shared byDrew's two companions. 

"I don't know who'd be in command!" he said. "Here have I just gotthrough one worry because you didn't return, had a sharp attack fromsavages, and had you two badly wounded; and now off goes Mr Drew andgets himself lost. Here has he been away all these hours, and he mighthave been back in six. There, I know how it is. The niggers are out inforce, and have got between them and the brig as sure as can be, that isif they haven't been killed before now. It will be dark directly, andas sure as fate we shall have another attack to-night. Wish I hadn'tlet him go. "

"He'll be too cautious to get into a trap, " said Oliver, whose facelooked drawn and old with anxiety. 

"He'll mean to be, sir, but the blacks have a cleverness of their own, and it's hard to get the better of them, civilised as we are. Tut, tut, tut! It would be madness to start in search of them without knowingwhich way to go. "

"Yet, they would be as likely to come from the west as the east. "

"Of course, and from the north as from the south. There, I've got bluelights ready, and the men's arms are lying to hand. If they don't comesoon, and the blacks make their appearance instead, I'm afraid they willfind me vicious. "

"Let's try to be patient, " said Oliver. 

"Patience, sir! I've none of that left. Now then, I think it's timeyou gentlemen went below. "

"Not yet, " said Oliver. "It is so much cooler here, and if we wentbelow we should be fidgety, and fretting horribly. There goes the sun. "

For as he spoke the great glowing disk of orange light dipped below thehorizon, great broad rays shot up nearly to the firmament, which for afew minutes was of a transparent amber; then all rapidly turned grey, dark grey, pale purple, purple, and almost directly black, covered withbrilliant stars. 

"No moon for three hours, " said the mate, as he looked round at theblack darkness, when the silence was suddenly broken by a chorus ofcroaking, roaring and chirruping from reptile and insect. Then came thestrange trumpetings of birds; the splashings of crocodiles, accompaniedby roaring barks and the flogging of the water with their tails. Oncethere was the unmistakable wailing cry of one of the great panther catsanswered at a distance, while from the north there came every now andthen a flickering flash of lightning evidently from the clouds hangingheavily over the huge crater. Then for a few moments silence, and asoft moist coolness floated by the watchers, followed by a heated puff, suggestive of a breath from the volcano, and they were conscious of adull quivering of the deck. 

"Wasn't thunder, " said the mate. "That was a grumble down below. "

Almost as he finished speaking there was a dull muttering, soonfollowed, not preceded, by flash after flash. 

"Like a storm upside down, " said Panton. "Not likely to have rain, arewe, with the sky clear?"

"Likely to have anything, " said the mate, "round the foot of a greatvolcano. "

_Ha ha ha, haw haw haw_!

"Bah those birds again, " said Panton, as the peculiar laughing hoot of agreat owl was heard, raising up quite a chorus from the nearest patch offorest, but silenced by another muttering from below. 

"We're going to have some terrible trouble, I'm afraid, " said the mate. "The volcano's waking up again, and the birds and things know it. What's that?"

"Rushing of wings overhead, " replied Oliver. 

"Yes, the birds know, and are getting out of the way. Hark at thosetiger things, too, how uneasy they are! I'd give all I've got, gentlemen, if Mr Drew and those two fellows were safe back on deck, forwe shall have a storm to-night. "

"But we are not at sea, " said Oliver. 

"More we are!" replied the mate. "'Pon my word, I was going on just asif I expected we were going to fight the waves. But I wish we were. I'd rather have solid water under me than boiling rock. "

"Quick! look out, " cried Oliver excitedly as there was a rushingtrampling sound in the distance, evidently coming nearer. "It's thesavages we shall have to fight, and they're coming on again. "

They listened in the midst of an appalling stillness, while the wholedeck seemed to be quivering, and the vessel gave two or three ominouscracks. There was another flash, then a boom, and a momentary blindingglare of light, while the coming trampling for a moment ceased, but onlyto be resumed again, as every man grasped his weapon, and felt for hissupply of ammunition, feeling that in another minute he might be face toface with death. 

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. 

THE CAT DID IT. 

The quivering continued, and the earth beneath the vessel throbbed inslow pulsations. The vivid flashes and thunderous growls as of distantexplosions went on, and the rushing sound of many feet came nearer andnearer as the occupants of the brig strained their eyes to pierce thetransparent darkness to get a glance of their enemies, and then allstood wondering; for after rising to a certain pitch, the rushing soundbegan to die away gradually. Then followed a vivid flash and a heavyboom as of some huge gun, and as it died away they were conscious of astillness that was terrible in its oppression, the quivering beneaththeir feet ceased, and then startling and clear, from right away to thewestward, came the piercing note of the boatswain's pipe. 

"Drew!" cried Oliver, joyously. 

"Yes, that's he, " said the mate, "and he wants help. There, take chargeof the deck, Mr Panton. I must go and bring him. Volunteers here: sixmen. "

Twelve sprang to his side, and he selected half a dozen, all well armedand ready to face anything. 

As they moved to the gangway where others held the ladder ready for themto descend, the shrill note of the whistle was heard again. 

"Draw up the ladder as soon as we're down, my lads, " said the mate, "andstand ready to make a rush to help us when we come back, for we may behard pressed. "

"Ay, ay!" came readily from the rest of the crew, and the next minutethe little rescue party was off at a trot, leaving Oliver Lane andPanton feverish and excited as they writhed in their weakness and miseryat being compelled to lie there inert, unable to stir a step to the helpof their companion. 

All was still as the footsteps died out. There was no rushing sound ofan enemy at hand, the explosions and flashes from the volcano hadceased, and once more it was a calm tropic night. 

But the shrill whistle could be heard at intervals of about a minute, sometimes sounding closer, sometimes apparently at a great distance. 

"Won't them black beggars hear 'em, sir?" said one of the men, drawingnear to where the two young naturalists sat. "Seems to me as if itwould be a deal better if Mr Drew kept that pipe in his pocket. "

"There are no blacks to hear them, " said Panton, quietly. 

The man started. 

"Beg pardon, sir, but me and my mates heered 'em a-rooshin' along. "

"We all thought we did, " said Panton; "but Mr Lane and I have come tothe conclusion that the sounds we heard were made by animals and birdsstartled by the explosions at the burning mountain, and flying forsafety to the lower part of the island. "

"Why, of course, " said the man, giving his knee a slap; "there was aregular flapping noise with it, and a whizzing just as if there wasswarms of great bees going along like mad. Well, I'm glad o' that, because if we did have to fight again, I don't want it to be in thedark. "

"There goes the whistle once more!" said Oliver excitedly, as the noterang out very clearly now, but for a long time, though they strainedtheir ears, there was no farther sound, and they grew more and moreuneasy till all at once there was a heavy thud as of some one falling. 

Then silence again, and a great dread fell upon the listeners, whoseactive brains suggested the creeping up of treacherous blacks to brainpeople who were in ignorance of their presence. 

But it was only a momentary dread, for the whistle chirruped shrillyagain, very near now, and directly after there was a cheery "Ship ahoy!"

"Mr Rimmer's voice, " said Oliver, excitedly. 

"Yes, " cried Panton, "cheer, my lads. Answer them. "

There was a roaring hail from the brig, and in a few minutes the trampof footsteps was plainly heard, and dimly seen figures emerged from thedarkness, looking grotesque and strange. 

"Down with the ladder, my lads, " cried Mr Rimmer, and directly after, the rescue party and the explorers climbed on board, two of the menpanting with exertion, and dropping to the deck the carcases of a coupleof little bucks. 

"That's what made them so long, " said Mr Rimmer, merrily. "They hadshot all this good fresh meat, and it has taken them hours to bring italong. Here, cook, set to work on one of them at once, and let's allhave a hot grill for supper. Two of you hang the other up here in therigging for the night. "

"But what news, Drew, of the blacks?"

"None at all. We found the marks where two great canoes had beendragged up over the sands, and the foot-prints of those who launchedthem again. Not a sign of them beside. "

"And our boat?"

"All right. Looks as if it had not been touched, " said Drew. "Hear thegrumblings of the volcano?"

"Yes, plainly enough. "

"And the rush of quite a large herd of scared animals? They nearly ranus down and would, if it had not been for the shelter of some rocks. Iam glad to get back. We had an awful job to carry those two littlebucks. "

There was a merry supper that night, and on the strength of Drew'sinformation, the watch was somewhat relaxed, while it was late when theyassembled for breakfast that morning. 

"Eh? What's that?" said Mr Rimmer, as the cook and Smith came to thecabin door. 

"Want you to come and have a look, sir, " said Smith. 

"Look? What at? Is anything wrong?"

"Well, sir, seems to me as it is a little bit not quite what it oughterbe, " said Smith. 

"There, don't talk in riddles, man, " cried the mate, and he strode outto the deck, followed by Drew--Panton and Lane following to the door tosee. 

Smith led the way to where a group of the men were standing, some withbuckets and swabs, but waiting before using them until their officergave orders. 

The sight that met the eyes of the new arrivals was not pleasant, but itwas startling, for there was a patch of blood upon the deck, and signsof something bleeding having been dragged for a few yards to thestarboard bulwarks, and then drawn up and over them, the ugly stainsbeing on the top of the rail as well. 

"I don't quite understand it, " said the mate, hoarsely. "Who was on thewatch?"

There was a dead silence. 

"Someone must have been. Does it mean that the poor fellow has beenassassinated?"

"A-mussy, no, sir, " said Smith, grinning, "don'tcher see, sir? That wasour other supper, as we hung up there to use to-night when t'other wasdone. The buck we brought home. "

"Oh!" exclaimed the mate. "How absurd. But what's become of it?"

"It's gone, sir. "

"Well, we can see that, my lad. But how has it been stolen?"

"Yes, sir, that's about it. In the night. Must ha' been the cat. "

"The what?"

"Well, sir, you see, I don't means the ship's cat, because we ain't gotone, but I means one o' them great spotty big toms as lives in the woodshere. "

Taking their guns, the mate and Drew followed the trail, which wasplainly enough marked from the side of the brig, the round softfoot-prints showing out in the light patches of sand, the fore pawswell-defined and the hind partly brushed out, showing that the body ofthe deer had been dragged over them. Here and there, too, dry smears ofblood were visible on the rough coral rock, where the animal hadprobably rested, and then dragged the carcase on again in its progresstoward the nearest patch of forest. 

"The brute must have followed me, " said Drew, "attracted by the bloodwhich no doubt dripped as we came along, and when all was quiet followedthe scent and then come on board. "

A quarter of a mile farther on the trail ceased, and it was plain enoughwhy, for the soft sand was plentifully marked with foot-prints, and inone place bits of fur and smears of blood showed that there had been afierce fight with tooth and claw, while broken bones and bits of hidewith the short sharp horns pointed to the fact that the fight had beenfollowed by a banquet, after which the leopards or panthers had trottedsteadily off to the forest, the track of three or four of the greatcat-like creatures being plainly marked. 

"No use to go hunting them, " said the mate. "They go on stealing awayfrom tree to tree, and we should never get a shot. "

They shouldered their guns and walked back, talking about the rushingand trampling noise of the preceding night, Drew having heard somethingof it from a distance and attributed it rightly to a sudden panicamongst the animals startled into headlong flight by the eruptive actionof the volcano. 

Oliver and Panton were watching them from the bulwarks against whichthey leaned, using their small binoculars to watch the proceeding oftheir companions, and both low-spirited and looking dejected at havingto stay on deck through the weakness produced by their wounds. 

Drew saw it as he came on board and related their experience. 

"Come, I say, " he exclaimed at last, "don't look so down-hearted. "

"All very well for you, " said Oliver, "you can get about. We'reprisoners. "

"Only for a little while. It may be my turn next, " said Drew. 

"A little while!" said Oliver, sadly. 

"Yes; your wound is getting better fast. "

Panton groaned. 

"And yours, too, " said Drew smiling. 

"Yea, that's right, grin, " said Panton, sourly. "You'd laugh if I weredying. "

"I don't know about then, " replied Drew, "but I can't help laughingnow. "

"Brute!"

"No, I'm not, I was only laughing at your irritability and petulance. Sure sign that you are getting better, my lad, isn't it, doctor?"

Mr Rimmer gave the speaker a good-tempered nod. 

"Oh, yes, " he said, "Mr Panton's coming right again, fast. Nicehealthy appearance about his wound, and Mr Lane's, too. When the seafails to get me a living I think I shall set up as quack doctor. Come, gentlemen, you are getting better, you know. Not long ago you were onyour backs; then you managed to sit on deck; then to stand for a bit, and now you have been here for ever so long watching us. That don'tlook as if you were going back. "

"No, " said Oliver, "but I feel so weak, and it seems to be so longbefore we get strong. "

"Oh, never mind that, my dear sir, so long as you are travelling on theright way. Patience, patience. Let's get a few more days past, andthen you'll be running instead of walking, and getting such a collectiontogether as will make us all complain about the smell. "

Oliver smiled sadly. 

"Ah, but we shall, " cried the mate. "That's what I like in Mr Drew'scollecting, he presses and dries his bits of weeds and things, and thenshuts them up in books. Mr Panton's work, too, is pleasant enough onlylumpy. I shall have to get rid of the brig's ballast and make up withhis specimens of minerals to take their place. "

"Then you mean to get the brig down to the sea again?" said Oliversharply. 

Mr Rimmer took off his hat and scratched his head, as he wrinkled uphis forehead and gazed with a comical look at the last speaker. 

"I didn't think about that, " he said sadly. "Seems to me, that thesooner we set about building a good-sized lugger the better, and makingfor some port in Java. "

"No, no, " cried Oliver; "there is no hurry. This is an exceptionallygood place for our purpose, and we can all join hands at ship-buildingwhen we have exhausted the natural history of the island. "

"Very good, gentlemen, but in the meanwhile I shall strengthen our forta little, so as to be ready for the niggers when they come again. I'llget the carpenter at work to rig up planks above the bulwarks with agood slope outwards, so that they'll find it harder to climb up nexttime they come. "

"Do you think they will come?" asked Panton, evincing more interest inthe conversation. 

"Oh, yes, sir, " said the mate thoughtfully, "such a ship as this wouldbe a prize for them, and we shall have them again some day, as sure as agun. "

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. 

BILLY WRIGGS SMELLS MUSSELS. 

That day and during the many which followed the shipwrecked party hadplenty of proof of the truth of their theory about the animals and birdsmigrating from one side of the island to the other in consequence offright caused by the eruption, for birds came back singly and in littleflocks, many of them passing right over the brig on their way to theforest-covered lower slopes of the burning mountain. 

It was the same too with insects, while from time to time a roe-buck ortwo would trot across the wide opening, perhaps, to stand and gaze up atthe peculiar-looking object in the middle of the wave-swept plain, butalways ready to dart off on any attempt being made to approach them witha gun, for already they were learning the meaning of the report. 

Oliver and Panton tried hard to be patient and bear their lot, but theyoften fell to and had a good grumble and murmur. But soon, as the dayswent on and they could walk about the deck with less exertion andsuffering, they brought up their guns and sat waiting by the bulwarksfor the brightly painted birds as they flew over, Panton helping largelyto increase his friend's store of preserved specimens, securing for himseveral remarkably good lories and brilliant metallic cuckoos. The pot, as Panton called it, was not forgotten either, several largebustard-like birds being shot as they raced across the plain, besideswild duck and geese, which at times passed over in plenty. 

At last the happy day arrived when the mate suggested that the patientsshould make an effort to get a little way from the ship, and with eyesbrightened the two young men were helped down the steps in spite oftheir irritable declarations that they could do better alone. 

Oliver drew a long deep breath as he gave a stamp upon the sand. 

"Hah! That's better, " he sighed. "Well, Panton, how do you feel?"

"I don't know. So weak yet, but--yes, I am better, a good deal. I say, couldn't we make a little expedition somewhere, say as far as thatcavern where the sulphur hole goes right down into deep strata?"

"No, no, let's keep out in the fresh air. "

"That's better, gentlemen, " said the mate, descending in turn from thedeck of the brig, which now looked quite like a fort with its breastworkof new planks. "Puts strength into you, don't it, to get out here?"

"Oh, yes, " cried Panton, "now one has got over the first bit of it. Ifelt as if I was too weak to walk down, but I'm coming round now. Hi!One of you two go and get me my gun and the cartridges. Shall he bringyours, Lane?"

"Yes, I think so, " said Oliver rather dubiously though, as Pantonshouted to "One of you two, " which proved to be Smith, who was standinglooking out of a sheltered loophole with Wriggs. 

"Think of going shooting?" said Mr Rimmer. 

"Yes, a short trip would not hurt us, would it?" asked Oliver. 

"No; do you good if you walk steadily and don't go too far. You'll gowith them, Mr Drew?"

"Only too glad, " said that individual, "I'm longing for a bit of a trip. But hadn't we better send out scouts first?"

"Yes, of course, " said the mate, "we mustn't be taken by surprise. That's the worst of being down here on so flat a place, you can't makeout whether there's any danger. "

Hailing one of the men directly, he sent him up to the main-topgallantcross-trees with a spy-glass to carefully "sweep the offing, " as hetermed it, and then as Smith brought down the guns with a very inquiringlook which said dumbly but plainly enough, "You won't leave me behind, will yer, gents?" the mate spoke out, --

"Let's see, you have been with these gentlemen before, Smith?"

"Yes, sir, me and Billy Wriggs, " cried Smith excitedly. 

"Humph. Like to have the same men again, Mr Lane, or try some freshones?"

"Oh, I say stick to the tools you know, " said Oliver, smiling at Smith. 

"Yes, let's have the same men again, " put in Panton. 

"Hi! Wriggs, " said the mate--"down here. "

Wriggs came down smiling all over his face, and after a certain amountof scouting had been done, and the man at the cross-trees had turned histelescope in every direction in search of danger, and seen none, thelittle party started once more, the mate accompanying them for a fewhundred yards towards the south-west. 

"I'd make for the sea, " he said, "but don't go too far. "

"I can walk that distance easily, " said Panton. "The stiffness has goneout of my legs already. "

"Glad of it, " said the mate drily; "but it isn't the walking down to thesea. "

"What is it, then?" asked Panton, who kept on turning his head indifferent directions to take great breaths of the warm spicy air. 

"The walking back, " said the mate. "There, take care of yourselves, andbe very careful; mind, Mr Drew, they are not to go too far!"

"They will not want to, " said Drew, smiling, and the mate gave them alla friendly nod, left them at the edge of the forest, to the south of theplain, and they at once began to move forward beneath the boughs whichsheltered them from the ardent sunshine. 

It was a glorious morning, and to the prisoners newly escaped fromconfinement the sight of the forest with the long creepers which drapedthe boughs with dewy leaf, tendril, and brilliant blossom seemedbrighter than ever, and, once more all eagerness, the collecting began. 

Panton, who grumbled a little at there being nothing in his way, devotedhimself to helping first one and then the other of his companions, picking some fresh leaf or flower for Drew, or bringing down anattractive bird for Oliver. 

As for the two sailors, they were as pleased as schoolboys, and had tobe kept back from plunging into the forest and complicating matters bylosing themselves. They had not gone far before Smith uttered a shout, and on the party hurrying up he was ready to point in the direction of apiled-up clump of rocks. 

"What is it?" cried Oliver. 

"Deer, sir, two on 'em! They was just by that bit o' green stonenibbling away at the grass; but as soon as I hailed you they just liftedup their heads, looked at me, and then they were gone. "

"Of course, " said Oliver, quietly. "Next time draw back so that theycan't see you, and come and tell us quietly. "

"Right, sir, if you think that's the best way, only t'other takes leasttime. They might be gone before I could get to you and back again. "

"Perhaps so; but you see they are sure to be gone if you shout. "

The deer were missed; but a couple of bush turkey were soon aftersecured, and followed by the successful stalk of a wire-tailed bird ofParadise and a couple of gorgeously plumaged paroquets. Then followedthe capture of beetles in armour of violet, green and gold, a couple ofmetallic-looking lizards, and a snake that seemed particularly venomous, but proved to be of quite a harmless nature. 

So interesting was the walk that, in spite of the heat, no one felttired, and they wandered on and on, forgetful of time or distance. Thepart traversed was perfectly new to them all, and when, at last, theyhad been walking for a couple of hours, and with one consent sat down torest and partake of the lunch provided for the occasion, it was feltthat, though they could not see it, they must be near to the sea on thatside; so after a brief halt it was decided to push on along the side ofthe opening for another half-hour, and try whether they could reach thecoast. 

"But it's for you to decide, " said Drew. 

"It ain't far, sir, " interposed Wriggs. 

"Let us decide, please, " said Drew, rather stiffly. 

"Certeny, sir. "

"But what makes you think we are so near the coast?" said Oliver. "Itis so flat we can see nothing. "

"No, sir, you can't; but me and Tommy Smith have been at it for sometime, whenever we gets a puff o' wind. "

"Been at what?"

"Sniffin', sir. Every now and then you gets it a smellin' o' hysters. Next minute it's mussels, and directly after it's cockles all alive o'!"

"And sea-weed, Billy Wriggs. "

"So it is, messmate, but I didn't say nowt, cause sea-weed's such commonstuff. "

"Yes, he's right, " said Drew. "I can smell the sea quite plainly. "

"Like mussels, sir?" said Smith. 

"No, " replied Drew, smiling. "It's more like sea-weed to me, my lad. "

"That's it, sir. All the same, " growled Smith. "Means as we're closeto the shore, anyhow. I kept on a-listening, 'specting to hear the seago _boom, boom_ on the reef; sir, and thinking about the sharp rocksgoing through the bottom of a ship. "

_Wark, wark, wok, wok, wok_!

The now familiar cawing cry of the paradise bird came from close athand, and, with his eyes glistening, Oliver made a sign to the rest toremain where they were. Then, softly cocking his piece, he stole inthrough the thick bush-like tangle which extended for a few yards beforethe tall forest tree-trunks rose up to spread branches which effectuallyshut out the sun and checked all undergrowth while they turned theirleaves and flowers to the sun, a hundred and fifty or two hundred feetin the air. 

"Hadn't I better foller him, sir?" said Smith. 

"No; he is more likely to get a specimen alone, " replied Drew. "We'llgo on round that corner where the forest edge seems to bend away to thesouth, and wait for him there. "

He indicated a spot about a hundred yards farther on, and the partywalked slowly along till the bend was reached, when as they caught apuff of the soft warm air from which they had been sheltered, Smithsuddenly threw up his head, expanded his nostrils, as he drew in a deepbreath and exclaimed, --

"Hysters!"

"Nay, lad, " cried Wriggs, who had followed his example. 

"Mussels!"

"It's both on 'em, matey, " cried Smith. "Hear that?"

Everyone did hear "that"--the deep, heavy, dull, booming thud of aroller, as in imagination they saw it come running in like a wall ofwater to strike on the reef; curl over in a brilliant, many-hued arch, and break in thousands of sheaves of diamond spray. 

"It can't be more than a mile away, " said Drew, quickly, as he began tolook about for a spot where he could throw himself down and rest whilethey waited. 

"No, " said Panton; "the wave must have swept along here and spread off alittle to the south, clearing the forest away to the edge of the lagoon. Yonder's the still water; I can just catch the gleam of it and the longroll of the breakers farther away. Hah it's nice here. How fresh thesea air smells!"

"Salt, " said Drew, quietly. 

"Any objection to me and Billy Wriggs going and having a dip, sir?" saidSmith, respectfully. 

"Yes--now, " said Panton. "Mr Lane may be back directly, and we hadbetter keep together; perhaps we shall all go down to the sea when hejoins us. "

"Thank-ye, sir, all the same, " said the sailor--"whether we gets what wewants and whether we doesn't, " he added to himself; as he walked away. Then aloud, --"Billy, my lad, it aren't no go, and we've got to stopdirty till we all goes down to the sea together. So let's you and me, matey, begin to look for cooriosities. How do we know as we mayn't finddymons and precious stones, pearls, and silver and gold, all a-lyingabout waiting to be picked up and put in your pockets. "

"Gammon! I wants a bit o' pig-tail, matey, " replied Wriggs. "Let's goalong here to that there bit o' stone, where we can sit down and talkwithout their hearin' on us. Come on. "

He led the way, and, in a few yards, the beautiful lagoon, hidden beforeby an irregularity, lay spread out before them like a sheet of blue andsilver, spreading for miles along the western shore. 

"Smell the mussels now, my lad?" cried Wriggs triumphantly. 

"Hysters, I tells yer!" cried Smith, excitedly, as, with a leap like apanther, he sprang right upon his messmate's back, sending him downheavily upon his breast with Smith lying flat upon him. 

Wriggs screwed his head round to look in his companion's face, which wasonly a few inches away. 

"Whatcher do that there for?" he asked, plaintively. 

"Can't you see, stoopid?" growled Smith. "Look. "

He pointed straight away to where, about half a mile distant, a coupleof large canoes, crowded with men, were coming swiftly along the smoothwaters of the lagoon, their occupants apparently aiming for a pointopposite to where the two sailors lay. 

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. 

BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH. 

"Murder!" said Wriggs, in a low voice. 

"That there will be, Billy, if them chaps don't let us alone. Lookhere, mate, it aren't their island; they lives somewheres else, or theywouldn't want a boat--bah! I don't call them holler logs boats--to gethere. Who are they, I should like to know? Just a-cause we're ashore, and can't get our ship afloat they think they're going to do just whatthey please with us. But we've got guns, Billy, and we know how to use'em, mate, and if they think as they're going to collar off all there isaboard the _Planet_, they're jolly well out of their reckoning, eh, Billy?"

Smith had by this time shifted himself to his messmate's side and waslooking at him earnestly, but Wriggs did not stir, he only rested hischin upon his hands and stared hard at the two canoes. 

"Now, then, d'yer hear what I said?"

Wriggs gave a short nod. 

"Well, say something, then. What'cher thinking about?"

"I was a thinking, Tommy, as it warn't no use for you to go on talking, when we ought to be toddlin' back and telling the three gents as we'rein a mess. "

"Well, there is something in that, Billy. What d'yer say, then, shallwe run and tell 'em?"

"No, Tommy; if we gets up and begins to run, them crystal minstrelchaps'll see us, and come arter us like hooray. We oughter congealourselves back again. "

"How are we to, when there aren't no trees to congeal behind?"

"This how, " said Wriggs. "I'm off. You foller arter me same way. "

As soon as he had done speaking, he laid his gun close down by his sideand began to roll himself over and over with such rapidity that he wassome yards away before Smith thought of imitating his action. 

"Well, this here is a rum 'un, " he grumbled. "I never thought when Icome to sea as I should have to turn myself into a garden roller. Butone never knows!"

He began rolling himself as fast as he could after Wriggs, and at last, after they both had to correct several divergences from their propercourse, they approached the two friends, who were seated beneath a tree. 

"Look, Panton!" cried Drew, excitedly. 

"What at?"

"Those two fellows. They must have found and been eating some poisonouskind of berry. They've gone mad. "

"More likely been breathing some bad volcanic gas. Here, I say, youtwo, what's the matter with you?" he cried, as Wriggs rolled close up tohim, and stopped to lie with his mouth open, staring, but too giddy tospeak. 

"I thought so, " said Drew. "We must get them back to the ship and givethem something. "

At that moment Smith rolled up, and lay giddy and staring. 

"Here, you two: can't you speak? What's the matter with you?"

Wriggs pointed at Smith, as much as to say, "Ask him, " and when thefriends looked in his direction, Smith nodded at Wriggs. 

"We must get back, " cried Panton. "Ahoy-y-y-y! Lane! Ahoy-y-y-y-y!"he shouted. 

"Don't, sir! don't!" cried Wriggs, in a choking voice. 

"Why not?" cried Drew. "What's the matter with you? Here, try and getup. "

"No, no, sir, " they cried in duet. 

"Then, what is it?"

"Niggers, sir, " gasped Smith. "Comin' ashore!"

"Quick, close under cover!" said Panton, and all crawled under the shadeof the nearest tree. 

"Now, where are they?" said Panton. 

"You can't see 'em from here, sir, but we saw the whole lot on 'em intwo canoes, a comin' on like steam, and they'll be here afore manyminutes have gone. "

"Quick, then!" cried Panton. "Here, you are best at it, Smith. HailMr Lane as loudly as you can. "

The man stared at him. 

"Hail him, sir, with that there lot o' black ruffyians just landing!Why, it's saying to 'em, `Here we are, my lads; come an' catch us. '"

"Of course! You are right, " cried Panton, excitedly, as he stood wipinghis face. "But what are we to do?"

"Two of us must try and track him, " said Drew. "Do you think they heardme shouting before?"

"Dunno, sir. On'y hope as they didn't, that's all, sir, " said Wriggs. 

"Perhaps they did not, " said Drew, hurriedly. "But look here, Lanecan't have gone far, he was too weak to make much of a journey. Here, Wriggs, come with me. You two keep quite close in hiding. "

At that moment from one of the trees at the edge of the forest, thererang out the hoarse, cawing cry of one of the paradise birds, anddirectly after they saw that a little flock had taken flight, and werecrossing the open land to make for the forest, far away toward the slopeof the mountain. 

A sudden thought inspired Drew, and signing to his companions, he puthis hands close to his lips and gave vent to a very fair imitation ofthe bird's note. In fact, so close was it, that they saw a couple ofbirds in the little flock wheel round and come back over their heads, till evidently detecting that it was a deceit, they flew off again. 

"There; what's the good of that, man?" cried Panton, angrily. "Youcouldn't deceive them. "

"No, but I may trick poor Lane. He'll think it is some of the birds, and come back eagerly to try and shoot one. "

"Bah!" ejaculated Panton; but Drew took no heed of his impatient, angrymanner. Putting his hands to his mouth again, he produced a capitalimitation of the bird's call note, and then stood listening. 

There was no rustling of the undergrowth, though, nor sign of an eagerwhite face peering out of the dim twilight among the great shadowytree-trunks, but a noise arose from the distance, which sent a thrillthrough every one present, and made all strain their ears in thedirection of the shore, for it was the murmur of a crowd. 

It was a strange, awe-inspiring sound, suggesting a horrible death atthe hands of merciless savages, and, acting under one impulse, the twosailors glanced at Panton, and Drew saw plainly enough their startledlook of horror, as they turned and ran as hard as they could go backalong the edge of the forest toward the brig. 

"The cowardly hounds!" said Panton, between his teeth, and heinvoluntarily cocked his gun. "I could find it in my heart to send acharge of shot after them. "

"Let them go, " cried Drew, bitterly. "We must hide here in the forest. They will warn Mr Rimmer, and perhaps it's best. "

He finished his speech with the loud _wok, wok, wawk_ again. 

"Do stop that abominable row, " cried Panton, whom the weakness had madeirritable. "You'll bring the niggers straight to us. "

"I sha'n't stop it, " said Drew, coolly, and he repeated the call. "There!" he cried triumphantly, "that was it, exactly. "

"Pish!" said Panton. 

"I told you so, " said Drew, excitedly, as the murmur of the approachingPapuans came nearer, and at the same moment there was a rushing ofwings, as half a dozen large birds perched in one of the trees and gaveproof of the exactitude of the botanist's imitation by answering loudly, as if to say, "Who was it called?"

Meanwhile Smith and Wriggs had run as hard as they could go for about ahundred and fifty yards, and then, once more moved by the same impulse, they pulled up short. 

"Woa hoa! Woa ho a ho!" said Smith, in a deep, smothered voice. 

"Avast below there, " cried Wriggs, panting hard. "Stopped 'em at last, Billy, " said Smith. "Ay, and mine too, Tommy; I never see such acowardly pair o' legs afore, did you?"

"Yes, matey, mine's the worstest, for they begun it and started yourn. Think on 'em, running away and taking us along with 'em, leaving one'sofficers in the lurch like that. "

"Ay, 'nuff to make a man wish as they was wooden legs, Tommy, eh?"

"Or cork, messmet. But don't jaw, Billy. Let 'em have it. Make thebeggars run as they never run afore. Come on back again. "

The two men took hold of hands and ran back as hard as ever they couldgo to where Panton and Drew were standing, and as they came up the flockof Paradise birds flew off again, and the murmur of the Papuans' voicessounded very near. 

"Then you thought better of it, " said Panton, fiercely. 

"Nay, sir, never thought at all, " replied Smith, stolidly. "Did youever see two pair of such legs as these here?" and he gave his thighseach a tremendous slap, Wriggs following his example. 

"What do you mean?" said Panton, roughly. 

"_Wawk, wawk, wawk, wawk, wawk_!" cried Drew, with his face turned tothe forest. 

"That we didn't, sir, " said Smith, indignantly. "They took the bit intheir teeth and bolted just like hosses, and run; there warn't no walkabout it, or I wouldn't ha' minded it so much. But we pulled up as soonas we could, didn't we, Billy?"

"Ay, mate, that's so, " growled Wriggs. "But hadn't we better stow underkiver? Them charcoal chaps is getting precious nigh. "

"What! are you going to stop?" said Panton. 

"Yes, sir, course we is, " said Smith, in an ill-used way. "We couldn'thelp it if our legs warn't under control. You don't know, p'raps, but Ido, and Billy Wriggs too, what trouble a man's legs'll get him in. Why, I've known Billy's legs take him ashore to a public-house, and thenthey've got in such a nasty state o' what Mr Rimmer calls tossication, that they couldn't stand. Didn't they, Billy?"

"Ay, Tommy, they did, lad, " growled Wriggs; "but speak the truth, messmate, and don't keep nought back. Yourn was just as bad. "

"Wuss, Billy, ever so much, and I was quite ashamed to take 'em on boardagain. Oh, murder! Look-ye there!" Smith exclaimed, in a hoarsewhisper, and he dropped down flat. 

"Legs again!" growled Wriggs, following his example, one that the otherswere not slow to adopt, for all at once the heads of several spears cameinto view, and hardly had the little party crept well under cover beforethere was a sudden burst of voices, and they could see the black facesof a crowd of Papuans advancing. 

There was very little cover, and, to the horror of all, they saw andheard that the enemy had what the military would term flankers out, inshape of a couple of men at each end of their line; and while the mainbody kept along out in the open, the scouts at the right forced theirway through the undergrowth and among the trees at the edge of theforest. 

Those were crucial minutes, and both Panton and Drew felt that at anymoment they might be seen, for two naked figures came nearer and nearerthrough the trees, till their white eyeballs and glistening teeth couldbe seen plainly, and as Panton crouched there, with his piececonvulsively clutched in his hands, he felt certain that one of the mensaw him plainly, and was striding to get nearer, so as to be withinreach for a deadly thrust with his spear. 

On and on he came, glaring straight before him, holding his weaponcarefully poised, and in utter ignorance of how near he was to death, for at the slightest gesture Panton would have drawn trigger and shotthe savage in his track, a charge of bird shot at so short a distancebeing as effectual as a bullet. 

"It will be an enemy the less, " he thought, and at one instant he haddetermined upon firing and making sure before the man thrust at him withhis spear. 

Just then there was a faint crack as of a twig being sharply broken, andthe savage turned quickly round to stand in an attitude of attention, poised spear in one hand, bow and arrows in the other, ready to throw orstrike as the need might be. 

Panton and his companions lay and crouched there, breathlessly, alltrembling with excitement, not with dread. For the same thought as nowinvaded Panton's breast came to Drew's--that it was Oliver Lane, attracted by the imitation of the bird's cry, making his way back into ahorrible trap. 

As if moved by the same muscles, two barrels rose slowly to a horizontalposition, and fingers were upon triggers ready to press the mechanismand pour the deadly contents into the savage the moment he raised hishand to strike or took step forward to get a better aim. 

Never was man nearer death, for all thought of the danger to self wasnon-existent. All the two young men had in their minds was that poorOliver Lane must be saved, and, if guns had carried truly, the blackwould have fallen. 

The shots would have brought the enemy upon them with a rush, butneither thought of that, and so they waited, watching the naked back ofthe savage, above which appeared his head, with the hair gummed andmatted out to a tremendous size, somewhat resembling the cap of agrenadier officer, though looking larger in the forest gloom. 

But no further token of another presence was heard, and after waiting, watchful and alert, for the next sound, the savage looked about keenly, and then turned, gave a sharp look round, and continued his course, seeming as if; with all his acuteness, the cracking stick had so takenoff his attention that he completely overlooked the danger within a fewyards of where he stood. 

Just then there was a low call from the main body of the enemy, whichthe man answered, and the next minute he had, with his companions, passed on out of sight, leaving the hidden party at liberty to breathefreely. 

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX. 

TOMMY SMITH AS A FORLORN HOPE. 

"What an escape!" exclaimed Drew at last. 

"Yes, " said Panton, wiping the cold perspiration from his brow, "forhim, too. "

"But what next?" exclaimed Drew. "I'm thinking about poor Rimmer. Can't one of us get round through the forest before them, and warn themon board the brig? It will be horrible for them to be surprised. "

"You know we can't get through these trees, " said Panton sadly, "and itwould take a day if we could. But Rimmer won't be surprised. "

"No, I hope not, " said Drew. "We ought to have sent a man back to warnhim. "

"We meant to go ourselves, only we couldn't leave poor Lane in thelurch. "

"No, " said Drew, with a sigh. "Do you think it's safe yet to imitatethe birds again?"

"No, I don't, " said Panton, sharply. "You'll bring the enemy back uponus if you do that. Now, then, at all hazards we must go in search ofhim. I'm afraid he has broken down from the exertion. "

"No, he hasn't, " said a voice in a low tone, and to the intense delightof all, Lane raised his head from the ground, so that they could see hisface all torn and bleeding, from its owner having had to force his wayas he crawled through the dense creepers at the edge of the forest. 

"Thank heaven!" cried Panton, and he let his head drop down upon hishands in his weakness produced by long suffering and over-exertion. 

"Then you saw the savages?" said Drew, excitedly. 

"Yes. I was creeping in this direction, to get a shot at some of theparadise birds which I heard calling, when I came suddenly upon a black, and in endeavouring to crawl silently away, a piece of wood snappedunder my hand and made the man turn toward me. I had to be perfectlystill for a long time before he went on. Are there any more?"

"Fifty at least, so the men say, " replied Panton, recovering himself. "But are you at all hurt?"

"Only scratched and done up. I feel so weak. But what are you going todo?"

"Crawl back through the edge of the forest till we are near the brig, and then wait till night--if we escape notice. Seems the best way. "

"And then, " said Oliver, "if they make an attack on the brig, we cantake them in flank or rear, perhaps scare them off. "

"Beg pardon, sir, " said Smith. "It's only a sort of a kind o'disgestion like as you can do or no, but them beggars has left theirboats. How would it be for us to go down to the shore and grab one andsink t'other? Then we should be free to sail away where we liked. "

"Without provisions, compass, or water?" said Panton, drily. 

"And leave our friends in the lurch?" said Drew. 

"O' course, " said Smith, scratching his head. "That's the wust o' mydis--suggestions; there's allus a screw loose or suthin' wrong about'em, so as they won't hold water. "

"Allus, " said Wriggs, solemnly. 

"Deal you know about it, " growled Smith. "Don't you get a shovin' youroar in that how. P'raps you've got a better hidear? 'Cause if youhave, let it off at once for the gents to hear. I on'y said what Ithought. "

"Quite right, Smith, " interposed Lane. "Don't be cross about it, because the idea will not work. "

"Oh, no, sir, I ar'n't cross and I ar'n't a-goin' to be cross, but Idon't like it when Billy Wriggs will be so jolly clever and get thinkingas he knows every blessed thing as there is in life. He don't proposeany good things, do he?"

"No, Tommy, I don't, " said Wriggs, quietly. "It ar'n't in my way o'business. Ropes and swabbing and pullin' a oar or setting of a sail'smore in my line, mate. "

"That will do, " said Oliver, firmly, and somehow, though he was yet weakand rather helpless from the injury he had received, he dropped at onceinto a way of taking the lead, unchallenged by either of his eldercompanions. 

"Now, then, " he continued, "is there any better plan? Silence! Thenwe'll try the one we have before us, and follow cautiously in thesavages' track. "

"How do you feel, Lane?" said Panton in a whisper, as they two stoodtogether during a halt. 

"Tired and hot. "

"So do I, but I didn't mean that. Do you feel fighty?"

"Fighty? No; not at all. Rather, as if I should like to run away. "

"That's frank, " said Panton. 

"Well, it's the truth. I'm weak and done up, and I don't think I'm oneof the fighting sort. It doesn't seem nice either to shoot at humanbeings, but I suppose we shall have to. "

"Yes, it's their lives or ours, my lad; but as you say, it's not nice. You won't think me a coward, will you, if I tell you that I feel justthe same as you do?"

"Hush! don't talk, " whispered Drew, who was a little way in front, keeping a sharp look-out, "I don't think they are far ahead. Ready togo on?"

"Yes, " said the others in a breath, and the toilsome march was resumed, Drew, as the lightest and most active, going in front, the two sailorsfollowing, and Oliver Lane and Panton, as the weakest of the party, bringing up the rear. 

The sun beat down with tremendous force, but the heat was forgotten inthe excitement, as, forced by circumstances to imitate the savages, thelittle party crept cautiously on, taking advantage of every bit of coverand keeping well in under the shade of the trees at the edge of theforest. At any moment it was felt that they might come upon the rear ofthe enemy, when, if undiscovered, the aim was to remain in hiding. Ifseen, Drew proposed to wait until there was any attack, and then fire;the others to follow, taking their cue from him, and without hurrying, following one another, so as to give those who fired first time toreload and continue a steady fusillade. This, it was hoped, would drivethe savage crew into confusion and enable the party to get on to wherethey would be opposite to the brig, when they could rush across withoutrunning the risk of being fired at by their friends, who would have hadfair warning of their approach and be ready to help them. 

These were their plans, but everything depended upon the Papuans, whohad unaccountably disappeared. 

For it seemed to all that they ought to have been overtaken some timebefore, whereas they had for some time seen no sign of them, nor heardso much as a whisper. 

All at once, when they were still quite a mile from the brig, and whileOliver was being tortured by opportunities for acquiring magnificentspecimens of butterfly and bird of which he could not avail himself, Drew stopped short, and let the others come close up to where he wascrouching beneath the huge leaves of a dwarf palm. 

"I dare not go any further, " he whispered, "for I feel certain that weare walking right into a trap. "

"Why?" asked Oliver. "You say you have neither seen nor heard anythingof them. "

"I can't tell you, but somehow I feel as if they are lying in ambush, waiting for us, and I can't lead you on to your death. "

These words acted like a chill to all, and for the full space of aminute there was utter silence. Then Oliver spoke. 

"I feel so weak and helpless, that I do not like to make proposals, " hesaid, "but how would it be to try and play boldly?"

"How?" asked Panton. 

"By taking the initiative and attacking. "

"Madness, " said Drew. 

"I don't know that. Our shots would let Mr Rimmer know that we are indanger. It is too far-off to make him hear the boatswain's whistle. Assoon as he knew he would come to our help, and we should have the enemythen between two fires. They would be scared, and either throw downtheir arms or take to the woods. "

There was silence again after these words, and then Panton spoke. 

"Won't do, Lane, " he said. "You speak as if you were as strong as Smithor Wriggs here, and all the time you are as helpless and weak as I. "

"Yes, " said Drew. "It is like being only three to attack fifty. "

Oliver was silent, for he felt the force of his companion's remark. 

"Like to send me or Billy Wriggs on ahead, gentlemen?" said Smith. 

"What for, man?" said Panton, impatiently. 

"I don't quite zackly know, sir, but I've got a brother as is a soger, and he was a tellin' me that when they fight the niggers up in thehills, where they shuts themselves up strong behind stone walls, withlots o' big ones ready to chuck down on them as comes to attack, theysends some one fust, and calls him a f'lorn hope. I don't quite knowwhat good it is, but I'll go and be a f'lorn hope if you like, or sowould Billy Wriggs here. P'r'aps he'd do butter, sir, for he's a moremizz'able-looking chap than me. "

Panton smiled. 

"It's very good and brave of you, my lad, " he said. 

"Oh, don't you make no mistake about that, sir, " said Smith, shaking hishead. "I'm only a sailor, and not a soger, and not brave at all. "

"Speak the truth, Tommy, " said Wriggs, in a tone of protest. 

"Well, that is the truth, Billy; I ar'n't what you call a brave chap, and I can't fight a bit till some one hurts me, and then I s'pose I dolet go, 'cause you see I feel nasty and sawage like, but that ar'n'tbeing brave. "

"Don't you believe him, gents, " growled Wriggs; "he is a brave chap whenhis monkey's up. You can't hold him then. "

"Yah, don't talk stuff, my lad, " said Smith, bashfully. "How can a chapbe brave as has got two legs as runs away with him as soon as he'sscared?"

"Hush!" whispered Drew, "we are talking too loudly. Look here, Lane, and you, Panton: we had better wait for the darkness, and then take ourchance of making a dash for the brig. "

"And spend all these weary hours in this heat without water. It wouldbe horrible. "

"Lie down, and try and pass the time in sleep, while we watch. "

"She's at it again, sir, " whispered Wriggs, with bated breath, as hemade a clutch at his messmate and held on tightly, for a curious heavingsensation, as of a wave passing beneath them, was felt, followed by adeep booming roar from northward. 

"Ay, " whispered Smith, "and if she'd suck one o' them big waves ashoreand make a clean sweep o' these charcoal chaps, she'd be doing somegood. "

"That's so, messmate, " growled Wriggs, "for black-skins as can't live ina beautiful country without wantin' to kill and eat their neighbours, oughtn't to be 'lowed to live at all, that's what I says about them. Here, hold tight!"

He set the example by throwing his arms about a young tree, for therewas a peculiar rushing sound as the earth quivered and the trees of theforest bent over and seemed as if stricken by some tremendous blast, though all the time there was not a breath of air. 

Then they became conscious of a black cloud rising over the forestbeyond the clearing, as if the precursor of some fresh eruption. 

"I say, Billy, " whispered Smith, "oughtn't this here to scare themsawages?"

"I should say so, " replied the other; "all I know is that it scares me. "

"Hist--hist!" whispered Drew, as he pointed forward and signed to theothers to lie close, for from out of the edge of the forest, about ahundred yards in front, a black head was thrust forth from among thetrees. 

It was a strange and incongruous sight. Between the hiding party andthe black scout of the savages there ran a high wall of dazzling greenof many tints, bright flowers hung clustering down, the dazzling sunshone from the vivid blue sky, and every now and then bird and butterflyof effulgent hue flitted before their sight; while there, just beyondthis strip of glorious beauty, there was the hideous black grotesquehead of the Papuan, evidently scanning the side of the forest backtowards where they were hidden. 

The next minute he had drawn back, but only to spring out with a shout, brandishing his club, while his cry was taken up by fifty throats, aswith a roar the whole band rushed into sight, and dashed down towardswhere the little party lay. 

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN. 

EARTH'S MYSTERY AT WORK. 

Oliver Lane's hands trembled and then became steady as thefierce-looking rout of nearly nude savages came rushing on. No wordswere spoken in those few brief moments, but it was an understood thingamong them all that they were to hold their fire till the Papuans wereclose upon their hiding place, and then to draw trigger together, in thefull belief, or rather hope, that the volley they would deliver wouldcheck the enemy, and the following fire from the second barrels completetheir discomfiture. 

And so during those moments, as Oliver Lane and his companions watchedthe on-coming rush--moments which seemed to be drawn-out to quite areckonable space of time--all waited with levelled piece and finger ontrigger for the sudden swerve in amongst them as the savages dashedalong the open ground with eyes dilated, teeth gleaming, and a fiercelook that betokened little mercy. 

But the swerve in amongst the trees never came, no weapons were raisedby the on-coming foe, and, to the astonishment of the waiting party, thesavages dashed by like a human whirlwind till they were some fifty yardsonward toward the sea, when they stopped short and wheeled round tostand looking back as if for the enemy from whom they had fled, whileOliver and his party still crouched there, wondering what was to happennext. 

Then came the explanation of the savages' action. They were fleeingfrom an enemy, but it was no human foe. Nature was at work once more. There was a peculiar vibration of the earth, a cracking, rending sound, and the earth opened in a jagged rift which ran on steadily toward theenemy, passing the edge of the forest where the friends lay, andstarting the Papuans on again in headlong flight toward their canoe. Then came a deep rumbling from the opening, a hot gush of steamy air anda violent report from away in the direction of the volcano, and silenceonce more deep and profound. 

No one spoke for some minutes, as they all strained their ears to catchthe returning tramp of the fleeing savages. Then the horror and dreadwere turned into mirth, perhaps a little hysterical on the part ofOliver and Panton, for Wriggs suddenly rose to his knees, made aderisive gesture with one hand, and then placed it to the side of hismouth and yelled out, --

"Yah! Cowards!"

"Yes, that's it, Billy, " said Smith, rising to his knees as well, andbrushing away some of the insects which were investigating his person. "They were all scared because the mountain grumbled a bit. What wouldsome of the beggars have done if they'd been where we went the otherday?"

"Ah, what indeed!" growled Wriggs. "I don't see as we've got much callto be feared o' such a set as them. "

"Think they'll come back?" said Oliver. 

"Well, not till we've had plenty of time to reach the brig, " repliedPanton, "so let's get on at once. I say, look at old Drew!"

Oliver turned his head to see, with surprise and some amusement, thatnow the imminent danger had passed, the naturalist had re-asserteditself, and their companion was eagerly collecting specimens of thewonderful parasitic plants which clustered over a decaying tree-trunk. Then his own instincts were aroused by the beauty of at least a dozentiny sun-birds, perfect gems of colour and brilliancy, which wereflitting and buzzing almost like insects about the same blossoms, toprobe the deep richly-tinted throats with their long curved beaks. 

"These are quite fresh, " he said, "I must have a couple of specimens. "

In his eagerness he opened the breech of his gun to substitute freshcartridges containing the smallest shot he had, but Panton arrested him. 

"Don't fire, " he said, "they may hear you and come back. "

_Phut_!

A peculiar sound like a jet of air suddenly shot out of the crack in theearth close by. 

"What's that?" cried Panton, excitedly. 

"Don't azackly know, sir, " said Smith; "but I see a puff o' thin, bluish-looking steam come up out of that bit of a split there. "

Panton forgot all about his companions' firing, and ran to the edge ofthe rift to find that it was not above a foot across, and that a hotflush of steamy air was being forced out with a faint singing noise, while, to his astonishment, the narrow crack which ran to right and leftquite out of sight was now gradually and quite perceptibly closing up. 

He could see down for a few yards and noted an efflorescence of sulphurrapidly forming on the sides, but this grew fainter and fainter, and wassoon lost in the bluish darkness. 

"Wonderful! wonderful!" he muttered, as he sank upon his knees and laidthe barrel of his gun across to watch the rate at which the creviceclosed up, while he bent over from time to time to gaze down, the actnecessitating the holding of his breath to avoid inhaling the hot fume. 

"I should just like to see one o' them charcoal chaps do that, Billy, "said Smith. 

"Yah! Them!" exclaimed Wriggs, contemptuously. "Why, matey, I'mashamed o' mysen. That's what's the matter with me. "

"'Shamed, what on?"

"Being afeard on 'em. For allus speak the truth, Billy, my poor oldmother used to say, and I will now, that I will, and I don't care whohears me. "

"Spit it out, then, Billy. There's nothin' like the truth nowheres. What are you been saying as warn't true?"

"Same as you did, messmate. I said as it was my legs as run away, 'cause they was feared. "

"Well, so they was, warn't they? I know mine was. "

"Nay, not you, Tommy. It warn't my legs as run away with me, it was meas run away with my legs from them black-looking tar-swabs, and I'mashamed on it, that I am. Now, then, what have you got to say to that?"

"Nothin' at all, Billy, " said Smith. "But just look, she's shutting hermouth again. "

"Who is?" said Wriggs, staring about. "I can't see no she's here. "

"Old mother earth, arter trying to swaller that lot o' niggers, onlythey was too quick for her. "

There, plainly enough as he spoke, was the opening, but it was closingmore rapidly now, and a minute later the two sides touched after aviolent hissing noise, while one edge was several inches above theother, marking where the rift had been. 

"Ready?" said Oliver just then. 

Panton rose to his feet, and, shouldering their guns, the little partymarched steadily back toward the brig, which they reached withoutadventure soon after dark, the latter part of their way having beenguided by a lantern hoisted right up to the main truck for theirbenefit. 

"Take that light down at once, " were Oliver's first words as he climbedthe side. 

"Well, yes, I was going to take it down, " said Mr Rimmer, "but it didyou some good, didn't it?"

Oliver explained the reason, for there had been no alarm of savages atthe brig. 

Mr Rimmer uttered a low whistle. 

"So near as that, eh?" he said. "Well, we were quite ready for them;but, my dear lads, what a narrow escape for you. There, welcome back. I shall be rather chary of letting you all out of my sight another time. Get down into the cabin and have a good meal and a rest; I'll join youas soon as I can. "

He left the returned party and busied himself in seeing that all lightslikely to be visible from outside were carefully extinguished and themen posted ready in case of an attack when the enemy had recovered fromtheir fright; but they had evidently received too great a shock toreturn that night, and at last half the men were sent below and later onseveral more, but the mate stayed on deck till morning came withoutthere having been the slightest alarm. 

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT. 

TOMMY SMITH'S TREASURE. 

After a little consultation in the morning it was decided to lead out astrong well armed party to make sure whether the enemy was down by thelagoon, for the state of uncertainty seemed worse than the danger likelyto be incurred in an advance and careful retreat. The mate determinedto go himself, and selecting four men with Smith and Wriggs they setoff, leaving Drew in charge of the ship. 

The expedition proved to be quite uneventful, and the scouting partywere back soon after noon, having been right down to the shores of thelagoon and searched it well from the highest point they could findwithout there being a sign of a canoe. 

From that day forward for quite two months, the occupants of the shipashore enjoyed perfect peace, and no sign was seen of an enemy. It wasevident that the natural childish fear and superstition of the blackshad kept them away from the island, but all the same no fishing orshooting excursion was ventured upon without the feeling that the partymight return to find the savages making a fresh attack, or being inpossession of the brig. Consequently no precautions could be relaxed onboard, and not a step was taken without every one being armed to theteeth. 

The change during that time had been wonderful. Vegetation was so rapidin its growth, and seed spread so quickly, wind swept, that the tracesof the earthquake wave were pretty well obliterated by bright younggrowth. Many of the pools had dried up, but four of the largest keptfairly well filled with brackish water, evidently supplied by someunderground communication with the sea, possibly merely by slowfiltration through the porous coral rock, sufficient, however, to keepthem fit habitations for fish and reptiles. 

On board the brig the carpenter with three aides worked hard at thelugger being constructed. This was to be hauled down to the sand, andthen slowly taken down to the sea on rollers in a cradle speciallyconstructed for the purpose. 

"Give us time, " said Mr Rimmer, "and we'll have a light boat that willtake us from island to island till we get to some civilised port. Butfirst of all we must sail round where we are. "

"There's no hurry, " said Oliver, "but get the lugger done, and then makeanother, for we shall want plenty of room for our specimens if we go onlike this. "

For in spite of having to work as it were with one eye on the look-outfor danger, and the other for specimens, each of the three naturalistsrapidly increased his collection. Oliver Lane filled case after casewith series of the splendid paradise birds which came and went in themost unaccountable manner. For days together they would be plentiful, then for a whole week it seemed as if they had forsaken the island andtaken flight to some other spot invisible from the highest points towhich they had climbed, but known well to the birds. 

And there the choice, carefully prepared skins lay in their cases, welldried and aromatic with the preserving paste which kept insect enemiesat bay. Here would lie the great bird of Paradise, all cinnamon, metallic green and buff, with its loose plumage and long wire-shaftedfeathers. In another case a series of the lesser bird. Then Lane founda few of the beautiful metallic rifle bird, all glossy purply green. The standard wing with its elongated tufts of green upon its breast, andfrom each shoulder a pair of long, gracefully curved, whitewillow-leaved feathers standing almost straight out at times, while atothers they lay neatly down along with the larger quills. 

Another day in his favourite hunting ground at the foot of the volcanoslope he had the good fortune to shoot a bird of which he had read andnever seen. It was the king bird of Paradise, monarch for its beautyand not from its size. 

Drew and Panton were out with him collecting, the one plants, the othercrystals, and running to him on hearing him whistling, they were readyto laugh at his excitement over his one bird, a little fellow somewhereabout the size of a thrush, but with an exceedingly short tail balancedby a couple of beautiful curled plumes at the end of their wire-like, exquisitely curved feather, starting above the tail and crossing just atits end. 

But their ridicule soon turned into delight as they gazed at thewondrous display of tints, beautifully blended, so that no two coloursjarred. But it was not only in its hues that there was so muchfascination to the eye, for all three gazed in wonder at the peculiarappendages which added to the strangeness and beauty of this bird. 

But there was no end to Oliver's bird treasures now, and knowing theinterest he took in the beautiful creatures, every man on board triedhis best to add to his stores by means of trap and gun, the mateencouraging the use of the latter, so that the men might be quite athome with it. 

"Here y'are, sir, " said Smith, "right sort, and nothing wrong in it, 'cept a spot o' blood on its back, over two o' the feathers. I wasgoing to pull 'em out and bring him quite clean, on'y you're soperticler about every feather being there. "

"How could it be perfect without?" said Oliver. 

"Oh, I dunno, sir. Birds got so many feathers in 'em that nobody'd missfifty or sixty, let alone one or two. Why, many's the time I've seen'em pick out lots themselves, specially ducks. "

"I daresay, " replied Oliver, "but don't you ever pick any out; I canalways wash away the blood. "

"All right, sir, but ain't yer going to look at it, and what BillyWriggs got, too?"

"I will directly, " replied Oliver. "Wait till I've turned this skin. "

"Oh, yes, sir, we'll wait, " said the sailor, and he dropped the butt ofhis gun to the earth, and stood holding a bird he had shot, while Oliverwas seated by an upturned cask, whose head formed a table just under thebrig's bows, where, with a large piece of canvas rigged to a stay, heworked in shelter, skinning his specimens for hours in the early morningand late evening. 

"Looks gashly nasty, now, sir, " said the man, after a few minutes'watching, while Oliver carefully painted over the wet, soft, newly-stripped-off skin of a bird with the aromatic poisonous cream hehad in a pot. Now the bristles of the brush sought out every crease andhollow about where the flesh-denuded bones of the wings hung by theirtendons; then the bones of the legs were painted, the young man intentupon his work--too much so to look up when the two sailors came roundfrom the other side of the vessel. Now the brush ran carefully alongthe skin, so as not to smirch the feathers at the edge; now it waspassed along the thin stretched neck and up to the skull, which had beenleft whole all but the back, where brains and eyeballs had beencarefully extracted, leaving nothing but the paper-like bone ofwondrously delicate texture and strength. Here the brush was sedulouslyapplied with more and more cream, which shed a pleasant odour around. 

"Pyson, ain't it, sir?" said Wriggs, at last. 

"Yes, my man, dangerously poisonous, " said Oliver, as he worked away. 

"Wouldn't do to set me that job, sir, " said Smith. 

"Why not? You could soon learn. "

"'Cause I got a bad habit, sir. "

"Lots!" said Wriggs, laconically. 

"Here, don't you be so jolly fond o' running down your messmate, Bill. 'Course I've got lots a' bad habits--everybody has--don't s'pose I gotmore more nor you, mate. "

"Dessay not, Tommy, " said Wriggs, with a chuckle. 

"What I meant was as I've got a bad habit a' poppin' my fingers in mymouth every now and then, when I'm doin' anythin', so as to get a betterhold. Some chaps spit in their hands--Billy here does, sir. "

"Ay, mate, that's a true word, " growled Wriggs. 

"Well, that's a deal nastier than just wettin' the tips o' your fingers, ain't it? Would it hurt me if I did, sir?"

"Most likely be very dangerous, " said Oliver, as he busily tucked somecotton wool into the cavities of the eyes, and then into the emptyskull. 

"What's he doin' that for, Tommy?" whispered Wriggs. 

"Stuffin' on it to keep the skin from s'rivellin', mate. Can't yersee?"

"Yes, that's it, " said Oliver, as he worked away. Then, laying the wingbones together, so as to keep them a short distance apart, he proceededto bind a little of the cotton fibre round the leg bones before wipinghis fingers, carefully feeling for the bird's claws, and drawing themout from among the soft feathers where they nestled, and restoring theskin to its place so that it fitted well over the wool. 

"Look at that, now, Billy. There y'are, regular pair o' natural legsagain. Wonderful thing, bird-stuffing! Hope we don't worry you, sir, talkin'. "

"Oh no, talk away, " said Oliver smiling, as he made up a littleegg-shaped ball of cotton wool of the size of the bird's body, whichdangled upon a hook at the end of a string. And then he took a pinch ofthe wool, doubled it, and thrust the doubled part into the skull, leaving enough to form the bird's neck, followed up with the looseegg-shaped pad which he laid upon the tied together wing bones, andthen, with a clever bit of manipulation, drew the skin over the pad, gave the bird a bit of a shake, and, as if it had been some conjuringtrick, every feather came back into its right place, and to allappearances there lay a dead bird before him on the head of the cask. 

"Three cheers and a hextra hooray!" cried Smith. "Ain't that wonderful, Billy? You and me couldn't ha' made a bird like that. "

"No, " said Oliver, laughing, "and I couldn't have furled themain-topgallant sail like you two could. "

"Well, sir, that's true enough, " said Smith; "but if you wouldn't mindme astin', `What's the good o' pysonin' a bird when it's dead?'"

"I don't, " said Oliver, as he busily smoothed feathers and fitted thebird's folded wings close to its sides, giving a pinch them in theirhere and a pinch there before confining places by rolling a strip ofpaper round, and fastening it with a pin. 

"What I do is to poison the skin, so that it may be fatal to anymischievous insect that might wish to eat it, and make the feathers fallout. "

"Why o' course, Tommy, " growled Wriggs, "anybody could ha' know'd that. "

"You didn't, Billy, " said Smith shortly. 

"Well, I can't say as I did quite, mate, but I do now, and I shan'tnever forget it. But what's he doin' o' that for? It won't ketch coldnow. "

"No, " said Oliver, laughing, as he fitted a little cone of paper on thebird's head by thrusting it with the beak right down to the end. "Thatpaper cap is to hold the bird's head well down upon its shoulders, sothat it may dry in a natural shape. Birds' necks fold so that theyalways look very short. "

"And what bird may that be, sir?" said Wriggs. 

"A pitta--or ground thrush. "

"A mercy on us!" said Smith. "It's a wonderful place this. Thrushes athome is all browny speckly birds, and this here's blue and green. "

"Yes, birds have brilliant plumage here, my lads. Now, then, what haveyou got for me? Anything good?"

"Well, that's for you to say, sir. Now then, Billy, out with yoursfirst. "

"Nay, let's see yours first, matey. "

"Come, come, I'm busy. We're going for a fresh excursion to-day. Nowthen, Wriggs, what is it?"

"It's a little squirmy wormy thing as he ketched, sir, just as it comeouter its hole to curl up in the sunshine. Pull it out, Billy. He'sgot it in his pocket, sir. "

Wriggs slowly thrust in his hand and drew out a little thin snake, whichmoved slightly as he laid it on the table. 

"He says it's a wurm, sir, " put in Smith, "I says it's a youngcome-structor. "

"What's that?" cried Oliver in a startled way. "Nonsense, it is fullgrown. "

"Couldn't ha' took long growing to that size, sir, " said Smith, grinning, as he held the bird he had shot behind him. 

"But, my good fellows, don't you know that this is a very dangerousviper?"

"What, that?" said Wriggs contemptuously, "there ain't nothin' on him. "

"There isn't much of a wasp, " said Oliver, "but his sting is poisonousenough. "

"That's true, sir, specially it you gets it near yer eye. But you don'tmean to say as that little chap's got a sting in his tail?"

"Absurd! Vipers have poisonous fangs--two. "

"What, in their tails, sir?"

"No, man, in the roof of the mouth. I'll show you. "

"But do you mean as that chap would ha' bit us and stung us, sir?" saidWriggs anxiously. 

"Of course I do, and you've had a very close shave. How did you killit?"

"Well, sir, he wouldn't let us kill him, but kep' on wrigglin' arterBilly here had trod on his tail, and we didn't want to quite scrunchhim, because you're so partickler. He got a bit quiet, though, arter atime, and then Billy nipped him at the back o' the head and put him inhis pocket. "

"Look here, when you find a snake with a diamond-shaped head like that, you may be pretty certain that it is venomous. "

The two sailors scratched their heads in unison while Oliver turned thelittle viper's head over, opened its mouth, and made it gape widely byplacing a little bone stiletto which he used in skinning the smallerbirds within, and then with the point of a penknife he raised two tinyfangs which were laid back on the roof of the reptile's mouth, andwhich, when erect, looked like points of glass. 

"There!" he exclaimed, "those are the poison fangs. They're hollow andconnected with a couple of exceedingly small glands or bags of poison, which shoot a couple of tiny drops of venom through the hollow teethwhen they are pressed by the animal biting. "

"But you don't call that 'ere a hanimal, sir?" said Smith, as he wipedthe perspiration from his forehead. 

"What is it, then?" said Oliver, laughingly quoting from an old book--"avegetable?"

"Well, no, sir, but it does look some'at like a sort o' liquorice stickas the boys used to buy to chew when we went to school. "

"It looks more like what it is, " said Oliver, "a very dangerous viper, and I warn you both to be very careful about meddling with such thingsagain. "

"But you see it was such a little 'un, sir, " said Wriggs, apologetically. 

"None the less dangerous, and you've had a very narrow escape, " saidOliver. Then noting the men's disappointed looks, he continued--

"But I'm very grateful to you all the same. It was very thoughtful ofyou, Wriggs, and I am glad to have it to add to my collection. "

"Then you won't chuck it away, sir?" said Wriggs, brightening up. 

"Throw it away--a rare specimen of a poisonous snake? Most decidedlynot. I shall put it in my tin of spirit, and preserve it carefully. "

"Seems most a pity to waste good liquor on such a wicious little beggar, don't it, sir?"

"By no means, " said Oliver, smiling. "There, I hope I shall have thepleasure of showing it to one of our best zoologists. Now, Smith, let'shave a look at yours. "

"Well, yes, sir, " said the man addressed, as he still kept his handbehind him. "You may as well see it now. Me and Billy here seed mygentleman three or four mornin's ago. "

"Four, Tommy. Allus make yer knots tight. "

"Weer it four, Billy? All right, then, four mornin's ago, just as itwas gettin' light, an' I says to him, I says, `Now that's just the sorto' bird as Muster Oliver Lane would like to have to stuff, ' didn't I, Billy?"

"Well, it warn't quite in them there words, Tommy, but it meant that'ere. "

"Don't you be so nation perticler about a heff or a gee, messmate. Ifit meant what I says, wheer's the harm?"

"Allus speak the truth, Tommy. Allus speak the truth, " growled Wriggs. 

"Come, come, I want to see my bird, " said Oliver. "Go on, Smith. "

"That's just what I wants to do, sir, on'y Billy Wriggs here he is sucha haggravatin' beggar. If yer don't speak your words to half a quarterof a hinch, he's down on yer. "

Wriggs chuckled, and his messmate went on, but frowned and scowled athim all the time. 

"Well, sir, I hups with my gun to shoot him, for Mr Rimmer says we'renever to go about anywhere now without loaded guns 'cause of thehinjuns--but bless your 'art, afore you could say `Fire' he was off overthe trees, and I was that aggrawated as never was, for he was a fine'un. "

"There, what did I say, Tommy?" growled Wriggs. "Let him have it all. "

"Look-ye here, messmate, are you a-goin' to tell the story, or am I?"

"Well, you'd better go on, Tommy, as you began it, on'y you getsdriftin' to the lee so, instead o' sailin' ahead. "

"Look here, you'd better do it yoursen, " cried Smith. 

"No, no, go on, man, " said Oliver. 

"All right, sir, " grumbled Smith. "Well, Billy Wriggs says as he wassure he come there to feed of a morning, and pick up the wurms, and thatif we got up early and waited there, we should see my gentleman again. So we says nothin' to nobody, did we, Billy?"

"Not a word, messmate. "

"And gets there very early nex' morning, but he'd got there afore us, and _Chuck_, he says, and away he went, 'fore I'd time to think o'shootin' at him. But never mind, I says, I will be ready for yerto-morrer mornin', and we gets there much sooner, and waited in thedark. We hadn't been there more'n a minute before we know'd he'd beenafore us, for we could hear him querking an' cherking to himself all ina low tone, just as if he was a-saying, `There's a couple o' chapshangin' about to get a look at my feathers, and I just aren't goin' tolet 'em. '"

"Yes, it were just like that, " said Wriggs, giving his head an approvingnod. 

"Ay, it weer, Billy, and my heye, sir, how we two did try to get aglimpse of him. But bless yer 'art, sir, it was that dark as never was. He didn't mind, for we could hear him flickin' about in the trees, andflying down on the ground, and then makin' quite a flutter as he went upagain, and talkin' to hissen all the time about us. "

"You're a long time getting to the shooting, Smith, " said Oliver. 

"That's a true word, sir. We was, for it got light at last, and both meand Billy had our guns ready to pop off, but he warn't there then. Nota sign of him. Oh, he was a hartful one! He knowed what we was up to, and he goes and gets there in the middle o' the night, has what hewants, and then off he goes all quiet like before we could see. "

"But you did shoot it at last?"

"Ay, sir, I did, but not that mornin', which was yesterday, you know. For, Billy, I says, this here game won't do. "

"Ay, you did, Tommy. "

"You and me ain't goin' to be done by a big cock-sparrer sort o' thing, is we? and he says we warn't, and we'll keep on earlier and earlier tillwe do get him. "

"Well, and what did you do?" asked Oliver, smiling. 

"Goes in the middle o' the night, sir, to be sure, and there we was asquiet as could be; but we didn't hear nothin' till just afore sunrise, when there was a _cherk, cherk_, and a bit of flutterin' just as we wasmakin' up our minds as he was too artful for us. Billy, he gives me anudge and shoves up the gun and takes aim. "

"But you couldn't see the bird?" said Oliver. 

"No, sir, not yet, but I wanted to be ready so as to get a shot at himthe moment he showed hissen, and then if I didn't recklect as I hadn'tloaded the gun arter giving it a good clean up yes'day, 'cause it weregetting rusty. "

"That's so, and I did mine, too, " said Wriggs. 

"You might ha' knocked me down with a feather, sir, " continued Smith. 

"Nay, nay, speak the truth, Tommy, " growled Wriggs, reprovingly. "Nofeather as ever growed wouldn't knock you down. "

"Will you be quiet, Billy Wriggs? Who's to tell the gentleman if youkeep a-sticking your marlin-spike in where it aren't wanted?"

"Come, come, I want to see my bird, " cried Oliver, who was amused by thesailor's long-winded narrative. "If it takes so much time to shoot onebird, how long would it take to shoot a flock?"

"Ah! I dunno, sir, " said Smith, solemnly. 

"But you got this one?"

"Ay, sir, I did. "

"We did, Tommy! speak the truth. "

"Well, _we_ did, then. I shot him, sir, and Billy goes in among thebushes and picked him up. "

"Gettin' scratched awfully, " growled Wriggs. 

"Then you did shoot it, " said Oliver, "without powder or shot?"

"Nay, sir, I lowered the gun down, shoved in a fresh cartridge, andwaited like a stone statty. "

"Two stone stattys, " said Wriggs, solemnly. "Speak the truth. "

"Yes, sir, neither on us moved, and I don't think as we breathed forever so long, till it humbugged that there bird so as he couldn't standit no longer, and he bobs right up on to a high bough so as to peep overand see whether we was there. "

"And were you?"

"Yes, sir, " said Smith, very solemnly, "we was, and he soon knowed it, for bang says my gun, down he come. Billy, as I says afore, goes andpicks him up. "

"Yes, " said Oliver, laughing; "and after all that long rigmarole, Isuppose it is something I don't want. Now, then, don't keep it behindyou like that. Let's see what it's like. Come, don't be so childish. "

"All right, sir, " said Smith, giving his companion a wink, and then witha flourish he swung round a shapely-looking Pitta--a hen-bird of verysober plumage--and banged it down on the head of the cask. 

"Well, upon my word, " cried Oliver, indignantly. "Here have you twochaps kept me all this time spinning a miserable yarn about a bird thatI began to hope was a fine specimen worth having, and then you bring outthis!"

"Yes, sir, won't it do?" said Smith, winking at Wriggs once more. 

"There, be off with you, and take the rubbishing thing away, " criedOliver, wrathfully. "All your cock and bull story about that. "

"Yes, sir, " cried Smith, with a peculiar chuckle and a wink at Wriggs;"but that there warn't the one. "

As he spoke, Smith very carefully and slowly brought his hand roundagain, holding a bird in the most perfect plumage suspended by a thinring of brass wire, which had been thrust through the nostrils, andOliver uttered a cry of joy. 

"Ahoy, Drew! Panton! come here, quick!"

"What's up?" came from the deck, and as there was the hurried sound offeet, the two sailors nodded and winked and gave each his leg a slap. 

"What is it?" cried Panton, eagerly, as he ran to where his brothernaturalist stood gloating over his treasure. 

"A gem! A gem!" cried Oliver. 

"Then, that's in my way, not yours, " said Panton. "My word, what abeauty! That's quite fresh. "

"To me, but I know what it is. The Golden Paradise bird. Isn't itexquisite? Look at its colours and the crest. "

"That's what took my attention first of all, " said Drew, who had nowjoined them, and they all three gloated over the wonderful specimenwhich glowed with intense colours. There were no long loose flowingbuff plume; for the bird was short and compact, its principal decorationbeing six oval feathers at the end of as many thin wire-like pens, threegrowing crest-like out of each side of its head. The whole of itsthroat and breast were covered with broad scale-like feathers ofbrilliant metallic golden hue, looking in the sunshine like the dazzlingthroat of a humming bird vastly magnified; while, seen in differentlights, these golden scales changed in hue like the plumes of a peacock, becoming purple or green. A pure satiny white patch glistenedconspicuously on the front of the head, before the place whence the sixcresting feathers sprang. This covering stood out the more stronglyfrom the fact that at first sight the bird appeared to be of a denseblack, but at the slightest movement it glowed with bronze metallicblue, and an indescribable tint, such as is sometimes seen infreshly-broken sulphur and iron ore. 

For some moments no one spoke, and with tender touches Oliver turned hisbird here and there, so that the sun should play upon its glisteningplumage at different angles. Now he was carefully raising some featherwhich was slightly out of place, now raising the six crest feathersthrough his hand, and bending over it as if it were the most gloriousobject he had ever seen. 

"Seems a sin to attempt to skin it, " said Oliver at last. "I shallnever get those feathers to look so smooth again. "

"Oh, yes, you will. Go on, " said Panton, "and get it done. The weathersoon makes a change. "

"Yes, I must carefully preserve this, " cried Oliver; and Drew sighed. 

"I've worked pretty hard, " he said, "but I have found nothing to comparewith that in rarity or beauty. "

"Then you think it'll do, sir?" said Smith, with his face shining withpleasure. 

"Do, my man! I can never be grateful enough to you both for findingit. "

"Worth long rigmarole, eh, sir?" said Wriggs with a chuckle. 

"It's worth anything to a naturalist, my man. "

"What is?" said Mr Rimmer, coming up; and the bird was held up for hisinspection. 

"Another kind of bird of Paradise?" he said. 

"Yes, isn't it lovely?"

"Very, gentlemen, but I want to talk to you about launching our lugger, she's getting well on toward being ready. "

"Ready?" said Oliver. "Oh yes, of course. But don't hurry, Mr Rimmer, we shan't be ready to go for some time yet. "

"Mean it?" said Rimmer, smiling. 

"Mean it!" cried Oliver, looking up from his bird. "Why, you don'tsuppose we can go away from a place where such specimens as this are tobe had. I can't. "

"No, " said Panton, quietly, "since I got better I have been finding sucha grand series of minerals that I must stay if I possibly can. What doyou say, Drew?"

"It would be madness to hurry away. "

"And what about the niggers?" said Mr Rimmer, who looked amused. 

"They haven't worried us lately. "

"But the volcano? Really, gentlemen, I never feel safe from one day toanother. I am always expecting to see the earth open and swallow usup. "

"Yes, we are in a doubtful position, " said Panton, thoughtfully, "andnever know what may happen, living as we are, over fire. "

"And hot water, " said the mate, smiling. "One of the men has just founda little spring, where the water spurts up at boiling point. "

"Well, " said Panton, "it will be convenient. There, Mr Rimmer, getyour lugger launched, and we'll explore the coast, but don't sayanything about our going away for months to come, for we must make somemore efforts to get right up to the crater edge before we give up. Besides, we have not half examined the land yet. "

"No, " said the mate, "we have not half examined the land yet. Verywell, gentlemen, you came on purpose for this sort of thing, so it's notfor me to say any more. I'm anchored pretty safely, that is, if theearth don't give way, and let the brig through. I'll, as I've saidbefore, get my lugger finished and launched. She'll lie snugly enoughin the deepest part of the lagoon if the blacks will keep away, and Ishall gradually load and provision her, ready for when we have to gowill that do?"

"Yes, splendidly, " said Oliver. "There, don't say any wore about it, please, for I want to skin my bird. "

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE. 

PANTON SHOWS THE WAY TO WONDERLAND. 

"You were so precious proud of your ornitho superbo, or whatever youcall it, that you seemed to fancy yourself head cock discoverer andchief boss of the expedition, " cried Panton one morning, as he returnedin a great hurry, after being out for some hours with Smith and Wriggs. 

Oliver, who, helped by Drew, was busily packing layers of dried birdskins in a case, looked up laughingly. 

"What is it?" he cried. "What have you found--diamonds?"

"Oh, no, nothing of that kind. Come on and see. "

"In five minutes I shall be done. Then we'll come. But what is it?"

"Wait till you get there, " responded Panton, wincing slightly, for hehad just felt a sting in his newly-healed wound. 

"All right, " said Oliver. "Now, Drew, another layer of paper, then thislot of skins, and we'll fasten the lid down. "

"Why not leave it unfastened till your other lot are dry?"

"Because if I do, the ants will make short work of them. In with therest, lightly. Now the lid. "

This was clapped on, a good solid deal lid made by the ship's carpenter, with holes bored and screws in them, all ready, and as soon as it wason, Oliver, with his sleeves rolled up and the muscles working beneathhis clear white skin, attacked the screws, and soon had them all tightlyin their places. Then a rope was made fast, the word given to those ondeck, and the chest was run up in no time. 

Five minutes later Oliver was equipped in light flannel jacket and sunhelmet, his gun over his shoulder and all ready fur action. 

"Going for a stroll?" said Mr Rimmer, as they stepped down from thedeck to where he was superintending the planking of the lugger, whoseframework had been slid down on a kind of cradle, where it now stoodparallel with the brig, it having been found advisable to get her downfrom the deck for several reasons, notably her rapidly increasing weightand her being so much in the way. 

"But suppose the enemy comes and finds her alongside? They might burnher. "

"They'd burn or bake us if we kept her up here, " said the mate, shortly, "for we should not have room to move. "

So there it was, down alongside, rapidly approaching completion, the menhaving toiled away with a will, feeling how necessary it was to have away open for escape, and working so well that most of them soon began togrow into respectable shipyard labourers, one or two, under the guidanceof the ship's carpenter, promising to develop soon into builders. 

The mate was very busy with a caulking hammer in one hand, a wedge inthe other, driving tar-soaked oakum between the planks so as to make awater-tight seam, and as the young men came up he wiped his steamy browwith his arm, and looked at all with good-humoured satisfaction. 

"Yes, we're going to inspect a discovery I have made, " said Panton, importantly. "Like to join us?"

"Well, I should like, " replied the mate, "and I think I--no: resolutionfor ever. Not a step will I take till I've got the _Little Planet_finished. She's rough, but I believe she'll go. "

"When you get her to the sea. "

"Ye-es, " said Mr Rimmer, with a comically perplexed look in his bluffEnglish countenance, "when we get her to the sea. You don't thinkshe'll stick fast, do you, Mr Lane?"

"Well, I hope not, " said Oliver, "but when I get thinking about how bigyou are making her, I can't help having doubts. "

"Doubts?" said the mate, sadly, as if he had plenty of his own. 

"Yes--no, " cried Oliver, "I will not have any. We will get her down tothe sea somehow. Englishmen have done bigger things than that. "

"And will again, eh, sir?" cried the mate. "Come, that's encouraging. You've done me no end of good, sir, that you have. There, off with you, and get back to dinner in good time. Crowned pigeon for dinner, andfish. "

He attacked the side of the lugger with redoubled energy, his strokesfollowing the party for far enough as they trudged on due south to anopening in the forest not yet visited by either Drew or Lane, and thelatter, as he saw the abundance of tempting specimens, exclaimed, --

"I say, what have we been about not to visit this spot before?"

"Had too many other good spots to visit, I suppose, " said Drew; "but, myword! look at the orchids here. "

"Bah! That's nothing to what you will see, eh, Smith?"

"Yes, sir, they'll stare a bit when they gets farder on. Me and Billy'sbeen thinking as we should like to retire from business and buildourselves houses there to live in, speshly Billy. "

"Speak the truth, mate, you was the worst, " grumbled Wriggs. 

"You was just as bad about it, Billy. Didn't you say as it would begrand to have a house to live in, with b'iling water laid on at yourfront door?"

"Nay, that I didn't, Tommy. How could I when there warn't no front doorand no house built?"

"You are so partickler to a word, mate. It was something of that kind. "

"Nay, Tommy. "

"Why, it was, and you says you'd want a missus, on'y you didn't know ashow a white missus'd care to come and live out in a place where therewarn't no pumps, and you couldn't abide to have one as was black. "

"Well!" exclaimed Wriggs indignantly, "of all the 'orrid yarns! Why, itwere him, gents, as said all that. Now, speak the truth, Tommy, warn'tit you?"

"Now you comes to talk about it that way, Billy, I begin to think as itwere; but it don't matter, let's say it was both on us. "

"How much farther is it to the wonder?" asked Oliver. 

"About a mile, " replied Panton. "There, curb your impetuosity and don'tbe jealous when you get there. "

"Jealous! Rubbish! Look, Drew!" cried Oliver, as a huge moth as bigacross the wings as a dinner plate flapped gently along the shadowy waybeneath the trees, now nearly invisible, now plainly seen threading itsway through patches which looked like showers of silver rain. "Who canbe jealous of another's luck when he is overwhelmed with luck of hisown?"

"Hi! Stop! None of that!" cried Panton, catching Oliver by the arm, ashe snatched off his sun helmet and was dashing forward through theforest. 

"What's the matter?"

"That's what I want to know. Are you mad to go dashing off, hat inhand, after a butterfly here in this dangerous place, as if you were aboy out on a Surrey Common?"

"Bother! It isn't a butterfly. "

"What is it, then?"

"The grandest Atlas moth I ever saw. "

"I don't care, you're not going to make yourself raging hot runningafter that. I want you to come and see my find. "

Oliver stood looking after the shadowy moth as it went on in and outamong the trunks of the trees till it reached a tunnel-like opening, full of sunshine. Up this, after pausing for a moment or two, balancedupon its level outstretched wings, it seemed to float on a current ofair and was gone. 

"You've made me miss a glorious prize, " said Oliver sadly. 

"Not I. You couldn't have caught it, my boy. Come along. "

Oliver resigned himself to his fate, but gazed longingly at severalbirds dimly seen on high among the leaves, and whose presence would havepassed unnoticed if it had not been for their piping cries or screams. But he soon after took a boyish mischievous satisfaction in joiningPanton in checking Drew every time he made a point at some botanicaltreasure. 

"No, no, " cried Oliver, "if there is to be no animal, I say novegetable. "

"Because it's all mineral. There, be patient, " said Panton. "Wehaven't much farther to go, eh, Smith?"

"No, sir, on'y a little bit now. Either o' you gents think o' bringinga bit o' candle or a lantern?"

"Candle?" cried Panton in dismay. "No. "

"What, didn't yer think o' that rubub and magneshy stuff, sir?"

"The magnesium wire? Yes, I brought that. "

"Well, that's something, sir, but we do want candles. "

"And we must have some. Here, Smith, you must go back, " cried Panton. 

"Right, sir, on'y shouldn't I be useful to you when we gets there?"

"Of course, very: but we can't do without a light. "

"No, sir, that we can't. How many shall you want?"

"Ask for half-a-dozen, " said Panton, "and be as smart as you can. "

"Half-a-dozen, sir, " said Smith, "that all?"

"Yes, be off!"

"But Billy Wriggs's got more'n that tucked inside his jersey, if theyain't melted away. Air they, Billy?"

"No, " said that gentleman, thrusting his hand inside his blue knittedgarment. "The wicks is all right, and they're gettin' a bit soft, butthere's nothing else amiss. "

"Well done, Smith, " cried Oliver, who by this time pretty well knew hisman. "You thought we should want some, then?"

"Course I did, sir. We ain't got cat's eyes, and we can't see like themspeckydillo chaps as we hear going about in the woods o' nights. So Ithought we'd bring some dips, and if we didn't want 'em we could onlybring 'em back again. "

By this time they were ascending a rugged slope, and painfully climbingin and out among huge rocks, whose structure told of their beingportions of some lava eruption. Water trickled here and there, overhungby mosses of loose habit and of a dazzling green. Tree ferns archedover the way with their lace-work fronds, and here and there clumps oftrees towered up, showing that it must have been many generations sincefire had devastated this part of the island, and the huge masses of lavahad been formed in a long, river-like mass, to be afterwards broken upand piled by some convulsion in the fragments amongst which theyclambered. 

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" cried Oliver. 

"Grand!" exclaimed Drew. "Look at the Nepenthes, " and he pointed to thecuriously metamorphosed leaves of the climbers around, each forming apitcher half full of water. 

"I want to know how you discovered it, " said Oliver. 

"Oh, you must ask these fellows, " replied Panton. 

"It were Billy Wriggs, sir, goin' after a bird I'd shot in thatrobuschus way of his'n, and when I follered him and see what a place itwere I was obliged to come on. "

"Why, we must be getting up toward an old crater, " cried Oliver. "Therehas been a volcanic eruption here. "

"Then just be a bit patient, " said Panton, laughing. "Only up as highas that ridge, " he continued, panting, "and then we're close at hand. "

It was hot and toilsome work, but the party were in so lovely a naturalgarden that the toil was forgotten. For the trees of great growth werefarther apart up here, leaving room for the sunshine to penetrate, withthe result that the undergrowth was glorious, and the rocky dells andprecipices magnificent. 

"Straight away. Up to the top here, " cried Panton. "Come along. "

He was foremost, and had reached a tremendous piled-up wall of masses ofmossy stone, whose crevices formed a gorgeous rockery of flowers andgreenery, wonderful to behold, almost perpendicular, but so full ofinequalities that offered such excellent foot and hand hold that therewas very little difficulty in the ascent. He began at once seizingcreeper and root, and was about half way up, when there was a snarlingyell, and a great cat-like creature sprang out of a dark crevice, bounded upward and was gone, while Panton, startled into loosening hishold as the brute brushed by him, came scrambling and falling down, tillhe was checked by his friends. 

"Hurt?" cried Oliver, excitedly. 

"Hurt!" was the reply, in an angry tone, "just see if you can come downtwenty or thirty feet without hurting yourself. "

"But no bones broken?" said Drew. 

"How should I know? Oh, hang it, how I've hurt my poor shoulder again. "

Irritation, more than injury, was evidently the result of the fall, foras he knelt down to bathe a cut upon one of his hands, Pantonexclaimed, --

"One of you might have shot the brute. Only let me catch a glimpse ofhim again. "

"There wasn't time, " said Oliver. "But don't you think we had bettergive up the excursion for to-day?"

"No, I don't, " cried Panton. "Think I've taken all this trouble fornothing, " and, rising to his feet again, he took his gun from where hehad stood it, and began to climb once more in and out among the pendentvines and creepers till he was at the top, and the others followed, butdid not reach his side without being bitten and stung over and overagain by the ants and winged insects which swarmed. 

"There, what do you say to that?" cried Panton, forgetting his injuriesand pointing downward. 

His companions were too much entranced to speak, but stood there gazingat as lovely a scene as ever met the eyes of man. 

For there below them, in a cup-like depression, lay a nearly circularlake of the purest and stillest water, in whose mirror-like surface werereflected the rocky sides, verdant with beautiful growth, the toweringtrees and spire-like needles which ran up for hundreds of feet, here andthere crumbled into every imaginable form, but clothed by nature withwondrous growth wherever plant could find room to root in the slowlydecaying rock. 

"Glorious, glorious!" exclaimed Drew, in a subdued voice, as if tonesought to be hushed in that lovely scene, for fear they should all awakenand find it had been some dream. 

Panton gazed from one to the other, forgetful of his fall, and with alook of triumph in his smiling eyes, while Oliver let himself sink downupon the nearest stone, rested his chin upon his hand, and gazed at thescene as if he could never drink his fill. 

As for the two sailors, they exchanged a solemn wink and then stoodwaiting with a calm look of satisfaction as much as to say: "We did allthis; you'd never have known of it if it had not been for us. "

"Come, lads, " cried Panton at last, "we must be getting on. You see nowhow it is there is so much clear water trickling down below. What amagnificent reservoir!"

"It seems almost too beautiful, " sighed Oliver, rising unwillingly. "Who could expect a place like this with a burning mountain only a fewmiles to the north?"

"And think, " added Panton, "that this is the crater of an old volcanothat once belched out these stones and poured fire and fluid lava downthe slope we have just climbed. "

"It almost seems impossible, " said Drew. "The place is so luxuriantlyfertile. Are you sure you are right?"

"Sure, " said Panton, "as that we stand here. Look for yourselves at theperfectly formed crater filled with water now as it was once filled withseething molten matter. Look yonder, straight across there where thewall is broken down as it was perhaps thousands of years ago by theweight of the boiling rock which flowed out. Look, you can see foryourselves, even at this distance, the head of the river of stone. Chipany of these blocks, and you have lava and tufa. That block you sat onis a weather-worn mass of silvery pumice inside, I'm sure, thoughoutside it is all black and crumbling where it is not covered withmoss. "

"But for such luxuriance of growth here all must have been barrenstone. "

"Barren till it disintegrated in the course of time, and, by the actionof the sun, rain, and air, became transformed into the most fertile ofsoil. Why, Lane, you ought to know these things. Look there, how everyroot is at work breaking up the rock to which it clings, and in whosecrevices the plants and trees take root, grow to maturity, die, and addtheir decaying matter to the soil, which is ever growing deeper and morerich. "

"Hear, hear, " growled Wriggs in a low tone, and Panton frowned, butsmiled directly after as he saw the sailor's intent looks. 

"Well, do you understand, Wriggs?" he cried. 

"Not quite exactly, sir, " said the man. "Some on it, sir; and it makesme and my mate feel that it's grand like to know as much as you gentsdo. "

"Ay, ay, " cried Smith, taking off his hat and waving it about as hespoke. "Billy Wriggs is right, sir. It is grand to find you gents withall your bags o' tricks ready for everything: Mr Drew with his piles o'blottin'-paper to suck all the joost outer the leaves and flowers, andMr Lane here, with his stuff as keeps the skins looking as good as ifthey were alive, and, last o' hall, you with your hammer--ay, that'sit!--and your myklescrope and bottle o' stuff as you puts on a bit o'stone to make it fizzle and tell yer what kind it is. It's fine, sir, it's fine, and it makes us two think what a couple o' stoopid, commonsailors we are, don't it, Billy?"

"Ay, Tommy, it do, but yer see we had to go as boys afore the mast, andnever had no chances o' turning out scholards. "

"But you turned out a couple of first class sailors, " said Oliverwarmly, "and as good and faithful helpmates as travellers could wish tohave at their backs. We couldn't have succeeded without you. "

"So long, sir, as their legs don't want to run away with 'em, eh, messmate?" said Smith with a comical look at Wriggs. 

"Ay, they was a bit weak and wankle that day, " said Wriggs, chuckling. 

"Never mind about that, my lads, " cried Panton, who had been busybreaking off a bit of the stone on which Oliver had sat--a very darktime-stained blackish-brown, almost covered with some form of growth, but the fresh fracture was soft glittering, and of a silvery grey, aspure and clear as when it was thrown out of the crater as so muchvesicular cindery scum. 

"Yes, " said Drew, examining the fragment. "You are right. Well, I saythank you for bringing us up to see this glorious place. "

"And I too, as heartily, " said Oliver. "We must come up here regularlyfor the next month at least; why, there are specimens enough here tosatisfy us all. "

"Quite, " said Drew, "and I propose we begin collecting to-day. "

"And I second you, " said Lane. 

"And I form the opposition, " cried Panton. "Do you suppose I made allthat fuss to bring you only to see this old crater?"

"Isn't it enough?" said Oliver. 

"No, " cried Panton excitedly. "This is nothing to the wonders I have toshow. Now, then, this way. Come on. "

CHAPTER FORTY. 

A GRIM JOURNEY. 

Panton plunged at once down the slope as if to go diagonally to thewater's edge, and his companions followed him in and out and over theblocks, which were a feast for Drew, while at every few steps somestrange bird, insect, or quadruped offered itself as a tempting prize toOliver, but no one paused. The gathering in of these prizes was lefttill some future time. 

It was as the others supposed, Panton was descending to the water'sedge, reaching it just where the crater rose up more steeply andchaotically rugged than in the other parts. 

"Look out!" he cried, loudly, and, raising his piece, he fired at thegreat leopard-like creature which had evidently taken refuge here, andnow bounded out with a fierce growl, and away along the rocks by theedge of the lake. 

The bullet sent after it evidently grazed the animal, for it sprang intothe air and fell with a tremendous splash into the water, but scrambledout again, and went bounding away, while, instead of following theircomrade's example, Oliver and Drew stood listening, appalled by the deeproar as of subterranean thunder, which ran away from close to their feetto die away in the distance, and then rise again--a strangereverberation that seemed to make the rocks quiver upon which theystood. 

"We must have him some day, " said Panton, stepping right down on astone, whose surface was just above the level of the water; and now, forthe first time, Oliver saw that there was a slightly perceptible currentrunning on either side of this stone, the water gliding by with a glassymotion, this evidently being the outlet of the lake; and on joiningPanton he found himself facing what resembled a rugged Gothic archway atthe foot of the stony walls, where a couple of great fragments of lavahad fallen together. 

"Why, it is a cavern!" cried Oliver, as he bent forward, and tried topeer into the darkness before him. 

"A cavern? Yes; Aladdin's cave, and we're going to explore it, " criedPanton. "Now then, Smith, five candles, please, and all lit ready forus to go in and see what there is to be seen. "

Smith walked right in, stepping from stone to stone for a few yards, andthen leaping off the block on which he stood in midstream to the lava atthe side; and, upon Oliver following him, he found that he was standingupon another stream, one which had become solid as it cooled, while thewater which now filled the cup-like hollow had gradually eaten itself achannel in the stone, about a quarter of the width of the lava, and thisflowed on into the darkness right ahead. 

"What do you think of it?" cried Panton. 

"Wet, dark, and creepy, " said Oliver, as he listened to a peculiarwhispering noise made by the water as it glided along in its stonecanal, the sound being repeated in a faint murmur from the sides andtop. 

Then _scritch-scratch_ and a flash of light which sank and then roseagain, as the splint of wood, whose end Smith had struck, began to burnstrongly. 

"Now, Billy! Candleses!" cried the sailor, and light after light beganto burn, showing the shape of the place--a fairly wide rift, whose sidescame together about twenty feet overhead. The floor was wonderfullylevel and some forty feet wide, the stream being another nine or perhapsbut eight, but widening as it went on. 

As soon as the candles were lit Smith held up three, and Wriggs two, right overhead, so as to illuminate the place, and Oliver and Drew gazedwith a feeling of awe at the sloping sides which glistened withmagnificent crystals, many of which were pendent from sloping roof andsides, though for the most part they were embedded in the walls. 

"Well, is that wet, dark, and creepy?" cried Panton. 

"It is very wonderful, " replied Drew. Oliver said nothing, for he waspeering right before him into the darkness, and trying to master acurious feeling of awe. 

"This is something like a find, " cried Panton, triumphantly. 

"How far does it go in?" said Oliver, at last. 

"Don't know. We are going to explore. "

"Will it be safe? This may lead right down into the bowels of thevolcano. "

"I think not, " said Panton, "but right away underground somewhere. Onceupon a time when the volcano was in action it overflowed here or cut away through the wall, and then the fiery stream forced its way onward, and was, no doubt, afterwards covered in by the stones and cindershurled out by the mountain. Then, of course, after the volcano hadplayed itself out, and the lake formed in the crater, it in turnoverflowed, and the water ate its way along, as you see, right in theriver of lava, which it followed naturally downwards. "

"And do you want us to follow the stream naturally downwards?" saidOliver. 

"Of course. I've only been in about fifty yards, but it is certainlythe most wonderful place I have ever seen. Look here. "

He picked from a crevice a great bunch of soft dark brown filaments, somewhat resembling spun glass. 

"What's that? Some kind of fibre?" cried Drew. "But how does it comehere?"

"Is it fibre?" said Panton, smiling. 

"No; too brittle. It is glass. "

"Yes. Obsidian--a volcanic glass. "

"But it looks like the result of glass-blowing, " said Oliver. 

"Right; so it is. Volcanic glass-blowing. This must have been drivenout of some aperture in the burning mountain during an eruption, steamacting upon flint and lime when in a state of fusion. "

"But where are you going to get your flint and lime from to make a glasslike this?" said Oliver. 

"Who can say? From the interior of the earth, or from deposits made bythe sea. "

"I don't see that, " said Drew. 

"Indeed! Why, haven't you silicious sand, the lime from the coral andshells and soda from the seaweeds of thousands of years. Plenty fromthat supply alone, without calculating what may be beneath us. Nowthen, forward: I'll lead, and we had better all go carefully, in case ofthere being any chasms. As far as I've been the floor was all likethis, smooth and just faintly marked by a grain formed by the flow. "

He took a candle, and, holding it high above his head, led the way, closely followed by Oliver. 

"No fear of our losing our way, " said the latter. "We have only to keepon by the side of the stream, and then notice which way it flows. If wego against it, we must be right in coming back. "

The way widened as they progressed, and was to a small extent down-hill, but not sufficiently so to make the water rush onwards, only sufficientfor it to glide along in a glassy smooth fashion, keeping up the samemysterious whispering which grew as they went on into the darkness, notseeming to be louder, but so to speak as if there were more and more ofthis strange murmur extending onward and onward to infinity. 

Once they all stopped to look back at the light which shone in throughthe cavern's mouth, and looking dazzlingly bright as it played upon thewater gliding in softly from the lake, but soon growing softer andopalescent, and gradually dying away. Five minutes later, when Oliverturned back to look again, he found that they must have unconsciouslydescended, for there was only a faint dawn of light upon the roof of thecave, and a minute later all was black. 

"Now, " said Drew, with an involuntary shiver which he turned off asbeing from the temperature. "What are you going to show us? for it'sgetting chilly here. "

"One of the wonders of the world, " replied Panton. "Look at thecrystals here. "

"Yes, but we saw them before. "

"Then look at the incrustations of sulphur here. These must have beenhere for countless ages. Look, too, how it is heaped against thiswall. "

"Yes, wonderful, but we saw plenty of sulphur when you came up out ofthat hole where you first went down, if you remember, and brought plentyup. "

"Yes, " said Oliver. "Can't you show us something more like what musthave been in Aladdin's cave, gold, silver, and precious stones?"

Panton held up his light as they turned round a bend of the rocky sideon their left, and pointed to the coloration of the rocks and the halfloose fragments, which still clung in their place, while other bits hadfallen down. 

"There, " he said, "those are as bright as anything in Aladdin's cave. "

"And as valuable?"

"That depends on the value people put upon them. From a geologicalpoint of view, and the study of the formation of crystals by volcanicheat they are priceless. "

"But how much farther are you going?" said Drew. 

"As far as the candles will let us, " said Panton. "Hallo!"

His voice was echoed from a distance as loudly as he had spoken, and the"Hallo!" went reverberating away in the gloom. 

"We must be in a big opening, " he said, and again his voice echoed, andthen went on repeating itself and dying away. 

Panton thrust a hand into his pocket and brought out a roll of magnesiumwire, gave Wriggs his gun to hold, and then lit one end which flashedout into a brilliant whitish light, surrounded by dense fumes of smoke, and illuminating the vast hall in which they stood, for here the tinyriver ran in a wide-spreading plain of smooth lava which must at onetime have been a lake of molten stone, now hard, cold, and dry, savewhere the water glided on like so much steel in motion. 

As the magnesium wire burned out, the candles which were getting shortlooked like so many yellowish sparks in the midst of utter blackness, and it was some minutes before even Panton showed any disposition tostir. But at last the eyes of all began to lose the dazzled sensationcaused by the white glare, and Panton proposed that they should go on. 

"What for?" said Drew. "There are specimens enough for you here withoutgoing farther, and the place seems to be all alike. "

"Oh, no: all variety. You are not afraid, are you?"

"Well, I don't know so much about that, " replied Drew, quietly. "I haveno wish to seem cowardly, but it is not very pleasant moleing along herein the darkness. I keep expecting to step down into some bottomlesspit. "

"If we come across one, you'll see me go down first. But hark! What'sthat?"

"I don't hear anything, " said Drew. 

"Don't you, Lane?" cried Panton. 

"Well, yes, I fancy I can hear a dull sound as of falling water. "

"There must be a cascade, then, farther in. Come on, I must see that. I've got some more wire. "

Holding his candle well on high, he strode boldly on over the lavastream, his two friends feeling bound to follow him, while Smith andWriggs came last. 

"How do you feel, Tommy?" whispered the latter. 

"Bad, " was the laconic reply. 

"Don't seem no good in going no furder, do it?"

"Not a bit, and these here candles'll be out d'rectly. Hold hard, please, sir, we've got to light up again. "

Oliver heard his words, and hailed Drew, who in turn called to Panton. But the latter was just at an angle where the lava stream swept round tothe left, and there was a reason why he did not hear the call, and theysaw him disappear round the corner with his light. 

Drew hastened his steps and followed, catching sight of him for amoment, and then losing him again, for Panton's light was extinguished, and Drew stood peering forward in an agony of dread, feeling certainthat their companion had dropped down into some horrible crevice in thelava; while he had suddenly himself stepped from almost perfect silenceinto a part of the cavern where his ears were smitten by a fearful dinof falling water. 

The next minute, in an agony of spirit that seemed too hard to bear, hisoutstretched candle lit up Panton's face, which was farther illumined bythe lights the others bore. 

"My light's burned out, " cried Panton, placing his lips close to Drew'sear. "I say, what a row the water makes. "

The effort to speak grew troublesome, and signs were resorted to. Freshcandles were lit, and in spite of an objection raised by Oliver, Pantonwas for going on again. 

"We must see the falls now we are so near, " he shouted. "We can't bemany yards away. We'll come better provided with lights another time. "

Starting on again, but going very carefully, Panton continued his wayonward pretty close to the edge of the smooth river which ran nowseveral feet below the level on which they walked. And as he held outhis candle, so as to clearly see the edge, the light gleamed fitfullyfrom the black glassy surface of the stream. 

All at once Panton found himself at an angle of the rock, where a secondstream joined the one by which they had come, and as the others joinedhim, it seemed as if their progress was at an end. This second streamwas a surprise, for it was larger than the one by their right, andcoming as it did almost at right angles from their left, it was puzzlingas to whence it could come, for it did not seem possible that it couldhave issued from the crater lake. 

And there they stood in a noise that was now deafening, holding theirlights on high, and trying to pierce the black darkness in front, but ofcourse in vain. 

A peculiar fact struck Oliver now, as he stood pretty close to the lavaedge of the angular platform upon which they had halted, and this was, that the flames of all their candles were drawn away from them towardwhere the water of the conjoined streams must be falling in one plungedown into some terrible gulf. He knew at once that this was caused by astrong, steady current of air setting towards the falls, and in hisuneasiness he was about to point out to Panton that their candles wererapidly burning away, when the latter suddenly lit his remaining pieceof magnesium wire, and the next minute they were all straining theireyes, and now looking into a misty glare of light, right in front--evidently the mist rising from the churned-up water--or now upon theirgrotesque black shadows, cast by the white-smoked magnesium upon thefloor and the ceiling far above. 

But there was no sign of the water itself, only the conformation of thelava stream whose edge could be seen upon the other side of the secondriver at least thirty feet away. 

"What's to be done?" said Panton at last, as the magnesium burned outand all was once more black darkness. 

"Get back, " said Oliver, with his lips to his friend's ear. "Thecandles are guttering away terribly, and we must not be left in thedark. "

"No, " yelled Panton, "that wouldn't be pleasant. Hang it, all mycandle's done. "

Time had gone faster than they had expected since the second candleswere lit, and turning to Oliver he said, sharply, --

"There, you lead the way back. It isn't far if you step out. Forward!"

Oliver wanted no telling, and he started back, but did not begin tobreathe freely till the angle of the rock wall was passed and they foundthemselves again in silence, just too as another candle began toflicker. 

"Hullo!" cried Oliver, glancing back. "What does this mean?"

"What?" said Panton. 

"The number of lights. Yours is gone and this one will be out directly, but there ought to be three more. Drew, Smith, ourselves. Here, whereis Wriggs?"

There was no answer, and in a strained, excited voice, Smith shouted, --

"Hi, Billy lad, where are yer?"

There was a whispering echo, but nothing more till Oliver spoke, --

"Where did you see him last?"

"See him, sir, why yonder, where the magneshy was burnt. Billyahoy-y-y-y!"

But there was no answer, and they stood in a little group appalled bythe knowledge that their lights would not last many minutes longer. 

"Here--quick, Smith, you have some more candles?" cried Oliver. 

"Not a blessed one, sir. Billy Wriggs has got what there is left in hisjersey. "

The truth forced itself upon them now with horrifying force that theyhad done wrong in making this attempt so badly provided, and in trustingso fully to Panton, who in his eager enthusiasm had gone too far. 

One thought was in every mind, would they ever be able to find their wayout of this terrible darkness when the last ray of light had failed?

CHAPTER FORTY ONE. 

IN THE GROSS DARKNESS. 

Panton's conscience smote him, and he could not speak, for he felt thathe was to blame for their trouble. But Oliver Lane rose to theoccasion. 

"Quick, " he said, "all candles out but one. Keep yours, Drew, and theother can be relit when it burns down. "

In an instant there was a darkening of the scene of gloom, and the youngbotanist held up his dim yellow light a little higher. 

"Now, then, what's to be done?" he said, huskily. "Hail--hail, alltogether, " cried Oliver, and he was obeyed, but the echoes were the onlyanswers to their cries. 

"Poor old Billy! Poor old Billy!" groaned Smith. 

"Silence, there!" said Oliver, sharply. "There is only one thing to do. You must get back to the entrance as quickly as you can, and then makefor the brig to fetch lights and ropes. "

"But it seems so cruel to go and leave the poor fellow without makingfarther search. "

"You cannot make farther search without lights, " cried Oliver, angrily. "Quick! you are wasting time. Go at once while your lights last. "

"And when the lights are all out, what then? How are we to find ourway?"

"By touch, " cried Oliver. "One of you must creep along by the side ofthe river and feel the way from time to time. "

"Come along, then, " cried Panton, "but it does seem too hard to go andleave the poor fellow. "

"He's not going to be left, " said Oliver, quietly. 

"What do you mean?" cried Panton. 

"I am going to stay. "

"Then I shall stay with you, " said Panton, firmly. "I'm not going toleave you in the lurch. "

"You are going to do as I tell you, " raged out Oliver. "Go, and don'tlose the chance of saving the poor fellow's life. Quick! Off!"

"Let me stay with you, sir, " growled Smith. 

"No, man, go!" cried Oliver, and without a word, Drew led off with theothers following and the faint rays from the candle shining on the rockywall, with a very feeble gleam. Then as Oliver watched, it appearedlike a faint star on the surface of the water, making the young manshudder at the thought of some terrible subterranean creature existingthere ready to attack him as soon as the last rays of the candle and thesteps had died out. 

This did not take long, for roused to make quick effort by those stern, emphatic commands, the sadly diminished party hurried on, with Oliverwatching them as he stood still for a few minutes, and then moved slowlyfarther away from the little whispering river, extending his hands tillthey touched the rocky wall against which he leaned. 

He listened to the footsteps growing more and more faint, and watchedthe faint yellow star, until it died right away, gleamed faintly intosight once more, and then was completely gone, leaving him in totaldarkness, and face to face with despair, and the knowledge that the fatewhich had snatched away his companion so suddenly, might at any momentbe his. 

For what was it? Had he slipped and fallen into the stream, and beenswept away before he could rise to the surface, and cry for help? Hadhe inhaled some mephitic gas which had overcome him? Or was he to letsuperstitious imagination have its play and believe that some dragon orserpent-like creature had suddenly raised a head out of the dark waters, seized him, and borne him down? It was possible, and a shudder ranthrough the young man's frame as he pictured the great serpent-likeobject suddenly darting itself at him, wrapping him in its folds as hehad seen the constricting sea-snakes seize their prey, and at once dragthem out of sight. 

He shuddered at the thought, and in spite of a strong effort to commandhis nerve, the horror of thick darkness was upon him for a few minutes, and a mad desire came over him to shriek aloud, and run frantically inwhat he believed to be the direction of the entrance, though a movementor two which he had made had robbed him even of that knowledge, and forthe moment he felt that he had lost all count of where he was. 

He came to his natural self again, with his hands tightly over his mouthto keep back the cries which had risen to his lips. 

"As if I were a frightened child in dread of punishment, " he said, halfaloud, in his anger against self, and from that minute he grew calm andcool once more. Feeling about a little over the face of the rock as heturned to it, he found a place where he could seat himself and rest fora time. And now he knew well enough that he must be facing the stream, and that all he had to do to reach the entrance was that which he hadbidden his companions do, creep along by the side, and dip in his handfrom time to time, so as to keep in touch with the water. 

"As a last resource, " he said, softly, "as a last resource, " and then hebegan to think of how necessary this would be, should he have to seekthe daylight alone, for he recalled how, though the place was a merepassage at times through which the lava stream flowed, there were spotswhere it opened out into vast halls, whose sides and roof were beyondthe reach of the artificial light they had used, and in these places heknew he might easily lose himself and with this loss might fail in hisnerve, and perhaps go mad with horror. 

He shuddered at the thought as he recalled the sensation through whichhe had fought his way, and determining to be firm and strong, he turnedhis attention away from his own sufferings to those of the man for whosesake he had stayed. 

"And it was to help him and give him encouragement that I stopped, " hesaid to himself, with a feeling of hot indignation against his weakness. "Then I must not stay here, but go back towards where we missed him. "

He sat thinking for a few moments as to his plans, and then, feelingcertain that when help came, those who returned would follow right on, he concluded that it would be better to go back to the junction of thetwo streams once more, and stay there, striving from time to time, inspite of the deafening noise, to make the lost man hear. 

"It will encourage him, for I will not believe he's dead, " said Oliveraloud, and then, in spite of himself he shivered, for his voice wentechoing strangely along the great hollow. But he mastered thisunpleasant feeling, and determining to be strong, he raised his voiceand uttered a loud "Ahoy, " listening directly after to the wonderfulechoes, which seemed to fly in all directions, repeating and blurringeach other as it were, into a strange confusion till the last one diedout. 

"Not pleasant, " thought Oliver, as he listened, and then when all wassilent once more he made a start for the river's edge, and reaching itbegan to follow it down. This, by walking slowly, did not prove verydifficult, for the water had cut the bed in which it ran so straightdown through the lava that there was quite a well-marked angle, which hecould run his right foot along and make his way without stooping, saveat rare intervals. 

As he went on with his eyeballs aching from the strong natural effort tosee through the darkness, his mind would keep wandering away to theglory of the sunshine without, and how beautiful were light and life, and how little appreciated till a person was shut off from theirenjoyment. 

Travelling slowly on in this way for how long a time he could not tell, he at last became conscious of the fact that he must be nearing theplace where they had turned off nearly at right angles and plunged fromsilence into the deafening roar of echoes formed by the noise of fallingwaters. For there it all was plainly on the ear, but as it were inminiature, and Oliver stopped short, thinking. 

"Shall I be doing wisely in going forward after all?" he said tohimself, and he hesitated as he thought of one of the main objects ofhis being there--to try and let poor Wriggs know that he was notforsaken and that help would soon be at hand. 

"My voice can never be heard in all that din, " he said to himself, andbefore going farther he uttered a loud shout, and listened to theechoes, one of which struck him as being so peculiar that he shoutedagain with the repetition sounding even more peculiar. 

His heart began to throb and his hopes to rise, for he felt convincedthat the "ahoy" was an answer to his call, and in a wild fit ofexcitement and joy he said to himself, --

"It must be. Now, let's try if it is after all only an Irish echo. "

"Ahoy!" he cried. "Where are you?"

There was utter silence for a few moments, and then he heard a crysounding so wild and strange that it seemed to freeze the very marrow inhis bones. 

CHAPTER FORTY TWO. 

A LONELY VIGIL. 

Oliver was too much startled for a few moments to move or speak. Thenmaking an effort to master his dread, "It's an Irish echo, " he said. "Poor Wriggs, he is making his way towards me. Ahoy! this way. "

"Comin' sir, " came plainly enough now, but directly after every echoseemed again blurred and confused like a picture reflected in agitatedwater. But the sound was certainly very near, and each shout and answercame closer, till at last the man's steps were plainly heard in a slowshuffling fashion, as he evidently carefully extended one foot and thendrew the other up to join it. 

"Where are you?" cried Oliver at last, for the steps were now veryclose, and his voice, like the man's, sounded strange and confused bythe repetitions from roof, wall, and water. 

"Clost here!"

"Hold out your hand, " cried Oliver, as he extended his own. "Ha!That's good, " he said, with his heart leaping for joy at the warm stronggrasp he received. "Thank Heaven you are safe!"

"Thank-ye, Mr Oliver Lane, sir. But my word it are black, Hold of acoalin' screw's nothing to it. "

"Where were you?" said Oliver, as he clung to the man's hand. 

"Oh, clost along here by the waterside, sir. "

"But did you fall in? No; you are not wet. "

"Oh, no, sir, I never fell. I'm dry enough. "

"Then how came you to hang behind, and cause all this trouble andalarm?"

"'Cause company's good, they says, if you're going to be hanged; and asyou wasn't, sir, I 'adn't the 'art to let you stop all alone here in thedark. "

"Why, it isn't Wriggs, then?"

"Nay, sir, that's for sartin, I on'y wish as how it was. "

"Why, Smith, my good fellow! Then you stopped back to keep me company?"

"That's so, sir, and I thought it would be best. You see it'll be badenough for two on us to wait, but for one all alone in a coal-cellarlike this, it's too horful I says to myself, and so I just hung back, and here I am, sir. "

"Oh, Smith, my good fellow!" cried Oliver, who felt moved at the man'sact. 

"It's all right, sir. You and me can talk about birds as you'veskinned, and about some o' those tomtit and sparrer things as I've seenabout, and meant to shoot for yer some day. And when we're tired o'that, we can ask riddles and sing a song or two, or play at chucking onestone at another, or into the water. It won't be so much like being allalone in the coal-cellar, shut up for a naughty boy as I used to be whenI was a little 'un. "

"Smith, I can never feel grateful enough for this, " cried Oliver. 

"Gammon, sir; Pretty sort of a chap I should be if I hadn't ha' beenready to stop and keep a gent like you comp'ny a bit. Don't you say nomore about that there, sir. "

"I must, Smith, I must, " said Oliver, huskily. 

"Then I shall be off till you've done, sir; and you'll have to say it tothe heckers as allus answers, `Where'?"

Oliver pressed the man's hand, and Smith gave a sigh of relief. 

"Any use to offer you a bit o' good pig-tail, sir?" he said. "Werrycomfortin' at a time like this. "

"No, thank you, Smith, I don't chew. "

"I doos, " said Smith, giving a grunt or two, which was followed by theclick of the knife being shut after using it to cut a quid, and then bythe sharp snap of a brass tobacco box. "Werry bad habit, sir, but Idon't seem able to leave it off. I say, sir, what about poor old Billy?Don't say as you think he's drowned. "

"No, no, I hope and pray not, " said Oliver. 

"That's right, sir. I don't believe he is. Stoopid chuckle brain sorto' chap in some things; and talk about a bull being obstinit, why, itwould take a hundred bulls biled down to produce enough obst'nacy tomake one Billy Wriggs. He wouldn't get drowned; I've known him tumbleout o' the rigging over and over, and be upset out of a boat, but he'sonly picked his self up and clambered in again, and been hauled into theboat when he was upset. While one day when he were washed overboard--and I thought he had gone that time, for you couldn't ha' lowered a boatin such a sea--I'm blessed if another big wave didn't come and wash himback again, landing him over the poop so wet as you might ha' wrung himout wonderful clean, and if he'd only had a week's beard off, he'd ha'looked quite the gentleman. "

"Poor fellow, we must save him somehow. "

"Tchah! Don't you be down-hearted, sir, you see if he don't turn up allright again. Reg'lar bad shillin' Billy is. Why, you see how he wenton when he went up the mountain and into holes and over 'em and into hotwater. He allus comes out square. He can't help it. No savagecouldn't kill Billy no matter what he did, and as for this here game--oh, he'll be all right. "

"I hope so, Smith, " said Oliver, with a sigh. 

"Well, sir, it don't sound as if yer did. You spoke in a tone o' woiceas seemed to say I hope he's jolly well drowned. "

"I can't help feeling low-spirited, Smith. "

"Course you can't, sir, but you just cheer up and I'll try and tell youa yarn o' some kind. "

"No, no: not now. "

"But I feel as if I'd like to, sir, a reg'lar good out an' outer--astiff 'un, cause just when I got to the biggest whopper in it, I shouldexpect to hear Billy behind my back in that solemn and serus woice ofhis a-saying, `Speak the truth, Tommy, speak the truth. '"

"If I could think that, Smith, I'd say go on, but I cannot. Here, let'stalk about him and his accident. "

"I don't think there's been no accident, sir, yer see he aren't ahaccidental sort o' chap. "

"Well, about his disappearance. "

"Disappearance, sir?" said Smith. "I aren't no scholard, but I don'tsee as how a man can disappear in the dark. That aren't nat'ral, isit?"

"No: of course not, a blunder of mine, Smith. Do you feel cold?"

"No, sir, on'y just comf'able. Watcher think o' doing?"

"I did mean to go right to where we stood looking down over the watertoward the falls, so as to be near poor Wriggs, but our voices would bequite drowned. "

"Might take a walk there, sir, all the same, " said Smith, "an' then comeback, you know. But I say, sir, you don't think there's no undergroundsort o' wild beasties here, do you?"

"No, Smith, nothing of the kind. "

"No big sort of worms as might twissen round yer and pull yer into theirholes?"

"No, Smith, I think we shall have the place all to ourselves. "

"And no t'other sort o' things, sir?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, sir, I don't quite azakly know, but it comes natral like to befeared o' being in the dark, and one has heard o' bogies and ghostiesand that sort o' thing. "

"Did you ever see anything of the kind?"

"Well, no, sir, I never did, but I've heerd chaps say as they've seensome rum things in their time from sea sarpents downwards. "

"As to sea-serpents or some kind of monstrous creature similar to theold saurians--"

"Sawrians, sir, --do you mean sea sawrians?"

"Sea and river; the crocodiles whose remains we find as fossils. Thereis plenty of room in the sea, Smith, and, as a naturalist, I am quiteready to believe in something fresh being discovered. We have seensmall sea-serpents, and there is no reason why there might not be bigones, but as to what you call bogies and ghosts, for goodness sake throwover all those silly superstitious notions. "

"What, don't you believe people ever comes back arter they're dead?"

"On purpose to frighten the living? No, Smith, I do not. It is aninsult to the greatness of nature and the whole scheme of creation. "

"Well, sir, speakin' as a man as couldn't help feelin' a bituncomfortable here in the dark with on'y one looficer in his pocket, itdoes me good to hear you say that, though it is a bit higher up than Ican quite reach with my head. You've made me feel a deal better, for itaren't nice to think as there's anything o' that sort to upset you whenthe place is quite bad enough without. "

"Of course it is, " said Oliver. "Come on now. Shall I lead, or willyou?"

"You, please sir, and what do you say to keepin' hold o' hands?"

"I was going to propose it. Here's mine. "

Smith grasped the extended hand, and Oliver started off at once, makinghis way cautiously to the edge of the river, and then, as a boy mightalong the kerbstone of a street, he kept on passing his right footalong, till at last they stood in the profound darkness, listening tothe thundering echoing roar of the falling water reverberating from thehollow roof and rising and sinking in booming deep diapasons till therewere moments when it seemed to their stunned ears like a burst ofstrange wild giant music. 

They stood for long enough together there, feeling that they were quiteat the edge where the water-worn lava formed an angle, thinking, withmany a shudder, that if poor Wriggs had fallen from where they stood, they could never by any possibility see him again. 

At last Oliver drew his companion back, and, placing his lips to theman's ear, shouted to him that it was of no use to stay there, and theyhad better return to the portion of the cavern round the angle wherethey could speak to each other. 

"You be leader going back, " said Oliver. 

"But I aren't sure which way to go, sir, " shouted back Smith. 

Oliver placed his lips close again. 

"Keep your left foot on the edge and slide it along as we go. "

"But suppose it's wrong way, sir?" suggested Smith. 

"It can't be, " cried Oliver again. "If you keep your left foot on theedge of the rock, every step must take us back toward the entrance. "

Smith tightened his grasp and began, but so clumsily, that at the end often minutes he slipped, fell, and gave so violent a jerk to Oliver's armthat the latter nearly lost his hold, and, for a few moments, thesailor's fate seemed sealed. For he lay motionless with both legs overthe edge, while all Oliver could do was to hold on, with his heartbeating heavily, and the roar of the cavern seeming to be multiplied ahundredfold. He could not shout, for his throat felt dry, but he knewthat if he did, his voice would not be heard, and he waited till Smithrecovered himself a little, then made a struggle, and managed with hiscompanion's help to get on his legs again. 

Then the slow movement was resumed, with Oliver conscious of theexertion and shock by the twitching, beating sensation of the pulses inthe sailor's hand. 

At last, after what seemed to be an endless length of time the suddensilence which fell upon them told them that they were somewhere abouttheir resting-place, and drawing back from the edge of the little river, Smith sank down upon the lava with a groan. 

"Oh, murder in Irish!" he said. "I thought I was gone, sir. I wasfeeling along with my left hoof, when my right suddenly give a slip on abit of rock as seemed like glass, and there it was slithering away moreand more. If you hadn't ha' held on, you might ha' told 'em to sell offmy kit by auction when you got back. "

"I thought you were gone too, Smith, " said Oliver, with a shudder. 

"Yes, sir, it was werry 'orrid; and do you know, I fancy that's wherepoor old Billy slipped and went down. "

"Possibly, " said Oliver, and seating himself they talked at intervalsfor hours in the tomb-like silence of the awful place, till a peculiardrowsy feeling stole over Oliver, and he started back into wakefulnesswith a shudder of horror, for it suddenly struck him that he wasbeginning to be influenced by some mephitic gas once more, such as hadaffected them along the line of the mist at the foot of the mountain. 

"Smith!" he cried excitedly, "do you feel sleepy?"

A low deep breathing was the only reply. 

"Smith! wake up!" he cried; but there was a want of energy in his words, and five minutes after his efforts had grown feeble in the extreme. Inanother, he too had succumbed, not to a dangerous soporific vapour, butto the weariness produced by long exertion, and slept as soundly as hiscompanion, and as if there was nothing whatever to fear. 

CHAPTER FORTY THREE. 

SMITH HAS A STARTLER. 

Oliver Lane was dreaming of pleasant gushing streams, in which swam fishof glistening colours, deep down in the soft shades, when the sunappeared to come out suddenly and dazzle his eyes, so that he could notbear it, and he sprang up to find Mr Rimmer leaning over him, holding alantern. 

"That's better, sir!" he cried. "I was beginning to be afraid that youhad breathed bad air. "

"I--I--what time is it?" said Oliver confusedly. "Anything the matter?"

"Matter!" said the mate. "Here, Smith, my lad, rouse!"

"Rouse up it is, sir!" cried the man, scrambling to his feet. "Mytrick? Eh? Oh, all right. Just dropped asleep. "

"I couldn't for the moment recall where I was, " said Oliver, "Thankgoodness you have all come. We could do nothing, and sleep overcame usat last. "

"Then you have heard nothing of poor Wriggs?" said Panton, who was oneof the group that surrounded them. 

"Nothing, " replied Oliver. 

"And never will, I'm afraid, " said Mr Rimmer. 

"Don't say that, " cried Oliver, who was full of excitement now. "Haveyou just come?"

"Yes, and found you both lying here asleep, as if nothing were wrong, "said Drew, who, like the others, carried a lantern. "We had a terriblylong struggle to get out of the cavern, for our last piece of candlesoon came to an end, and then it was very hard work to get back to theship in the dark. "

"Dark? Was it evening?"

"Black night, " said Panton. 

"Then what is it now?"

"The sun was just upon rising as we left the crater lake and came in, "said the mate, "and that's two hours ago, full. "

Smith gave his leg a slap to express his astonishment, and the mateoffered them both food and water, which had been thoughtfully provided. 

"By-and-by, " said Oliver. "I'm not hungry now. Come on, and try andfind that poor fellow. "

He held out his hand for one of the lanterns, and leading the way, whichwas comparatively light now, as the sailors who had been brought heldtheir lanterns well up, he soon reached the corner, passed it, and sawthat they were in a very spacious cavern. Then the second stream wasreached, and they all stood together gazing out toward where the cascadeformed by the union of the two rivers plunged down. 

But nothing was visible save blackness and wreathing vapour, whichgleamed in a grey ghostly way some distance in front, and to try and seebetter some magnesium wire was burned. 

This vivid white light showed that there was a black dripping roof somefifty feet overhead, and the water of the two streams gliding rapidlyaway from below the angle on which they stood, covering one whole sideof the visible cavern with water, and increasing in speed till itdisappeared beneath the rising mist caused, of course, by the falls. 

There the lanterns were swung about over the water, and shout aftershout was sent forth to be lost in the torrent's roar, till at last themate turned away and signed to the party to follow him. 

He led them back to where the noise grew hushed, and they could speakonce more. 

"There is nothing more to be done, gentlemen, " said the mate, sadly. "The poor fellow must have gone over somewhere along that rocky edge. Isaw several places where it was as slippery as ice, and he has beenswept into the depths. Ugh, the whole thing makes me shudder. "

He was right: they all knew nothing more could be done, and they trampedback over the smooth lava stream. 

"And I feel to blame for it all, " said Panton, as he walked between hisfriends. "Who could have foretold that such a terrible calamity wouldhappen to us? It is too horrible to bear. "

At last there was a faint gleam of light upon the water, followed by aflash, and then the lanterns were extinguished, for the blaze ofsunshine could be seen playing upon the lake and the Gothic archway ofthe cavern's mouth fringed with creepers and ferns, while like somecurious silhouette, there for a few moments upon one of the rocks justlevel with the water, those which had served for stepping-stones, wasthe figure of a large graceful leopard as it stood gazing into thecavern, but turned and bounded away directly. 

The light was hardly bearable for a few minutes, as the party issued outto climb the walls of the ancient crater, and then descend on the otherside, but eyes soon grew accustomed to the change, and Smith uttered adeep sigh full of mournfulness. 

"I never see nothing look so beautiful before, " he said to Oliver, "butoh, if poor old Billy Wriggs was here to see it. He wouldn't say to me, `Speak the truth, Tommy, speak the truth, ' for them's the truest words, sir, as I ever said. "

They reached the side of the brig, hot and weary, to find all well, andas they parted on the deck Smith turned to Oliver. 

"I'm a-goin' down to have a good heavy wash, sir, 'fore I has anybreakfast, and then I don't think as I shall eat any, for it's hardlines to ha' lost one's mate. "

"Hard indeed, Smith, " said Oliver, sympathetically. "Poor fellow! but Ithink we did all we could. "

"Heverythink, sir, I say, " replied the man, who then went slowly belowinto the forecastle and rushed out again, looking horrified, scared, andyelling loudly. 

"Hallo!" cried Mr Rimmer, running forward. "What's the matter now?"

Smith could not speak, but stood with his lips quivering and his eyesround and staring. 

"Do you hear?" cried the mate, angrily. "Why don't you speak?"

The reason was patent to all. The poor fellow could not utter a word, but stood pointing wildly down through the forecastle hatch. 

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR. 

A TONGUE IN A KNOT. 

Oliver and the mate immediately made a sharp rush for the opening, andthe first uttered a cry of astonishment as he got down into the men'splace, for there, dimly seen by the faint light shed by a great disc ofglass let into the fore part of the deck and well cemented with pitch, was a man in one of the bunks sleeping heavily, while in a toneindicative of his astonishment, the mate exclaimed, --

"What, Wriggs! You here?"

"Ay, ay, sir, " shouted the man, rising so suddenly that he struck hishead a violent blow against the floor of the bunk above him. "I say, don't wake a man quite so hard!" he grumbled, and then, as he recognisedthe speaker, "Beg pardon, sir, didn't know it was you. "

"Why, how did you get here?" cried Oliver. 

"Get here, sir? Oh, I walked it, and was that bet out that I tumbled inat once. Tommy Smith got back?"

"Yes, and all of them, " cried the mate. "Here, pass the word for Smith, and tell him it isn't a ghost. "

"I'm here, sir, " said a gruff voice as the hatchway was filled up by abody which darkened the light. "Is it alive?"

"Tommy ahoy!" cried Wriggs hoarsely. "I got back fust. "

"But how?" cried Oliver. "You did not pass us and come out the way wewent in. "

"No, sir; I went out t'other way by the back door. "

"Is he all right--alive?" cried Panton, in a voice full of hystericalexcitement as he scrambled down, followed by Drew. 

"He seems to be, " said the mate. "Are you sure you're alive, Wriggs?"

"Yes, sir, I think so. "

"But how was it?" cried Oliver. 

"Ah, that's a queshtun, sir, " said the man, rubbing one ear. "I don'tquite know, on'y as I was walking along arter you one moment, and thenext my legs seemed to run down a slide and I was in the water. "

"I thought so, " cried Oliver. 

"I did holler, but there was such a row nobody heered me, and afore Iknowed where I was I seemed to be going down with five hundred millionso' chaps sousing buckets o' water on my head till I was most stifled, and then I was going on again. "

"Going on where?"

"Oh, I dunno, on'y as it was all dark and the water just deep enough toslide me along over the bottom which was smooth as glass. "

"Ah! the trough cut by the water in the lava stream, " cried Panton, "continued right on after the fall. "

"Yes, sir, that's it. I continued right on arter the fall till I gotrayther sick on it and tried to get out fust one side and then theother. "

"And did you?" cried Oliver. 

"No, sir, I just didn't, for it was all as slipper as slither, and assoon as I tried, the water seemed to lay hold on me and pull me back andsend me on again. "

"And did you keep on like that?"

"Oh, no; I got up sometimes and tried to walk, and other times I wentalong sittin'. "

"But didn't you try to come back?"

"Try, sir? What was the good? Why, the water did just what it likedwith me, and wouldn't even let me try to swim. Do you think I could ha'got back up that waterfall? Bless your 'art, sir, seems to me as if youmight as well try to get up to the moon. "

"Never mind that, " said Oliver, excitedly; "tell us about whatfollowed, " and then he turned his head sharply, for Smith was rubbinghis hands down his legs and chuckling softly now in his intense delightto see his messmate back safe and sound. 

"Told you so--I told you so, " he muttered. 

"Course I will, sir, " said Wriggs. "Well, you see the water keptcarrying me along in the dark, and as fast as I managed to get up itdowned me again and began to stuffycate me, only I wouldn't have that, and got up again and tried to stand. But it warn't no use, the bottomwas too slithery, and down I goes again in the darkness, thinking it wasall over with me, but I gets the better of it again, and on I goessailing along, sometimes up and sometimes down, and a-swallering enoughwater to last me for a week. "

"Yes, go on, " cried Oliver. 

"Right, sir, I'm a-goin' on, " said Wriggs. "Where was I?"

"A-swallerin' the water, Billy, " said Smith, interposing a word or two. 

"So I was, Tommy, lots of it. I kep' on swallerin' that water till Ididn't swaller no more 'cause there warn't no room. So, of course, Ileft off, and went bobbin' up and bobbin' down, sometimes goin' headfust and sometimes legs fust. Oh, it was at a rate! And it was as darkas pitch, and you couldn't get out this side nor t'other side neither. "

"Well, go on, " said Mr Rimmer, impatiently. 

"Yes, sir; and there I goes, getting in a puff o' wind now and then whenI has a charnsh, and the water a-rooshin' me along and the bottom allslithery, and sometimes I was heads up and sometimes toes, and the waterkep' a carryin' of me along so as I couldn't stand straight nor sit downnor kneel nor nothing. But on I keeps again, on and on and on, andsometimes I was down and--"

"I say, " said Panton, "wasn't it a very long way?"

"Yes, sir, a mortal long ways, and sometimes the water got me down whenI tried to swim and sometimes--"

"Yes, yes, yes, " cried Oliver, for the mate was roaring with laughter;"but you've told us all that over and over again. We want you to get tothe end. "

"That's what I wanted to do, sir, " said Wriggs, "but there didn't seemto be no end and the water kep' a--"

"My good fellow, that isn't the way to tell a story, " cried Oliver, impatiently. "Now, then, get on: we've had enough of that. The waterswept you along a dark cavernous place where it had cut a way throughthe lava, and you couldn't keep your feet. "

"That's it, sir. You can tell it ever so much better nor me. Go on, please. "

"How can I?" cried Oliver, as there was a general burst of laughter atthis. "I was not there, so how am I to tell your story?"

"I d'know, sir; but you seems to know ever so much more about it thanme, for it was so dark and the water kep' a-rooshin me along--"

"Right to the entrance, where the stream swept you out into the openair, but before you got there you could see the light gleaming along onthe top of the water, and this increased till you found yourself in' thefull glow of daylight where the stream rushed out and down toward thesea. "

"Why, did you tumble in too, Mr Oliver Lane, sir?" cried Wriggs, staring open-eyed. 

"I? Of course not, " cried Oliver. 

"But that were just how it was, sir. How did you know?"

"I only supposed it was like that, my man. "

"Well that's a rum 'un, for I was washed right out with a regular fizzat last, like a cork in a drain. "

"And where?" said Mr Rimmer. 

"Oh, over yonder somewheres, sir, and I warn't long scuffling ashore, for there was two black fins out, and I knowed as Jack shark's shovelnose warn't far in front. "

"Was it in the lagoon?"

"Yes, sir, that was it, and then I gets all my things off and wrings'em, and lays 'em out ready for the sun to shine on when it come up, while I covers myself all over with sand, which was as nyste and warm asgetting between blankets. "

"But I thought you said you were swept out into the broad daylight, "cried Oliver. 

"No, sir, it was you as said that: I didn't. I couldn't cause it wasthe moon a-shining, and the stars and some o' them flying sparks inamong the trees. "

"Well, you've got a rum way of telling a story, Wriggs, " said the mate. "What did you do next?"

"Oh, I snoozed on till it was quite warm, and my clothes was dry, andthen I takes my bearin's and steered off through the woods for port. "

"Did you see any of the blacks?" said the mate. 

"No, sir, and didn't want to. It was black enough for me in that holeunderground, to last me for a long time yet. Don't want any more black, sir, yet, thank-ye. "

"Well, you're safe back, " said Panton, "and no one is more glad than Iam, though we did have all our trouble for nothing, and you may thankMr Lane and Smith for staying there in the dark waiting till lightswere fetched. "

"Did Mr Lane do that, sir?"

"To be sure he did. "

"And Tommy Smith stopped too, sir?"

"Yes, to keep him company, though we thought once we'd lost him too. "

"Much ado about nothing, " said the mate drily. "You gentlemen lead me apretty dance. What's the next thing, Mr Panton--do you want to go downthe crater of the volcano?"

"Yes, if it is possible, " replied the young man, so seriously that therewas a general laugh, and soon after Wriggs was left to finish his sleep, while Panton retired to the cabin to number and make notes about a fewof the crystals which he had brought back in his pockets, but thinkingof how that cavern might be turned to use. 

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE. 

SMITH HAS A "SENTIMENT. "

Mr Rimmer gave way, and a few days after an expedition was made to tryonce more to mount right up to the mouth of the crater. Takingadvantage of what had been learned in former expeditions, the littleparty followed their last plan, rowed beyond the poisonous mist, landed, and after securing the boat as before, they made for the old camp, reached it and spent a delightful evening watching the faint glow uponthe cloud which hovered over the mouth of the crater, and then gazed atthe scintillating fire-flies, which upon this occasion made the lowgrowth at the edge of the forest below them alive with sparkling lights. 

Long before daylight they were on their way, with the air feeling coldand numbing as they climbed the loose ash and cinders which formed theslope. The great cracks in the mountain-side were successfully passed, and by sunrise they were high enough up to get a glorious view over theisland, while a couple of hours after, a point was reached which enabledthem to trace the greater part of the coast line and learn by thebarrier reef with its white foam that without doubt they were upon anisland. 

"Now, then, " cried Panton, after a brief halt for refreshment, "how longdo you say it will take us?"

"Two hours, " said Oliver, gazing up at the remainder of the slope, andthinking of how quiescent the volcano was: for save an occasionaltrembling or vibration under foot, all seemed still. 

"One hour at the most, " said Drew. "Come on. "

"I say the same, " cried Panton. "Come on. "

Oliver proved to be nearest as to time, for they all referred to theirwatches when the above words were spoken, and again, when, after a longweary scramble over the yielding ashes, from which came breathings ofhot, stifling air. 

"Two hours, forty minutes, " cried Drew. "I couldn't have thought it. "

The hot, gaseous emanations had really seemed to be like breathings, andas they neared the top, they were conscious, as they paused again andagain, of the mountain seeming to pant and utter sounds like wearysighs. 

As they mounted higher, the heat began to grow suffocating, and it wasat last so bad that Smith and Wriggs pulled up short and looked hard attheir leaders. 

"Well?" cried Oliver. 

"Think it safe to go any furder, sir?" said Smith. 

"Safe or no, we mean to get to the top now we've mounted so high. Whydo you ask? Want to stop?"

"Well, sir, you see Billy Wriggs been thinking for some time as it wasgetting werry dangerous, and he'd like to go down. "

"Speak the truth, Tommy, speak the truth, " growled Wriggs. 

"Why, I am speaking the truth, Billy, " cried Smith, in angryremonstrance. "Didn't you say over and over again as it was werrydangerous?"

"Nay, I said it was dangerous, I didn't say werry. "

"Oh, well, that's nigh enough for me, messmate. "

"You two had better stay here while we go to the top, " said Oliver, quietly. "Ready, you others?"

"Yes, " said Panton. "Forward, " and they started upward again, butstopped directly, for the two sailors were trudging up close behindthem. 

"I thought you two were going to stop back, " cried Oliver. 

"Not me, " said Smith. "Billy Wriggs can, if he likes. "

"What?" cried the latter, "and let you get puffin' and blowin' abouthavin' done my dags. Not me, Tommy, old man. I'm a-goin' right up tothe top, and I'll go as far inside as he will, gen'lemen. "

"Come along, then, " cried Oliver, and the slow trudge, trudge wasresumed in zig-zags, till Smith halted once more, and stood wiping hissteaming face. 

"Beg pardon, sir, " he said, "but if you look uppards, you can see as thesmoke hangs over toward us. "

"Yes, what of that?" said Oliver. 

"Well, that means wind, though we can't feel none. Wouldn't it be best, 'stead o' doublin' back, if we was to go right on now, so as to gethigher and higher, and more round to windward?"

"I'm afraid that it will be the same all about the mouth of the crater, "said Panton, "but we'll try. "

It was a simple expedient that they ought to have thought of before, andSmith proved to be correct, for as they wound on slowly upwards the heatgrew greater, but they began to be aware of soft puffs of wind, and atthe end of another half-hour, they had climbed to where a steady softcurrent of cool air blew against them. This made the final part of thetoilsome ascent so bearable that as they reached a glistening vitreousstream of greyish hue which looked as if the crater had brimmed over andpoured down this molten matter, Oliver leaped upon it and ran for acouple of hundred yards. Then he disappeared suddenly, and horrifiedthe rest, who followed as fast as they could go. 

But there was no cause of alarm. As they reached the top of the slopethere stood their companion some twenty feet below them on the rugged, jagged and fissured slope of the crater gazing down at a dull glisteninglake of molten matter, but so covered with a grey scum that it was onlyfrom time to time that a crack appeared, out of which darted a glare sobright that it was visible in the full sunshine, while a tremendous glowstruck upon their faces, making their eyes smart as they gazed at thetransparent quivering gas which rose up from the molten mass. 

A stronger breeze was blowing here, bearing the heat away, otherwise itwould have been unbearable, and they made their way on the chaos ofcindery rock which lay about in blocks riven and split in every form, some glazed by the glass of the mighty natural furnace, some of a clearvesicular silvery grey, while a hundred yards or so distant and aboutfifty lower than where they stood, the lake of molten matter lay aboutcircular and apparently half a mile across. The rim of the gigantic cupwhich from below had looked so regular was now seen to be broken into athousand cracks and crevices, some going right down through the greyishash and pumice nearly to the edge of the lake. 

No one spoke, it was as if they were too much stricken by awe, as theygazed at this outlet of the earth's inner fires, wondering at the way inwhich solid rock was turned by the intensity of the heat into a fluidwhich now in places they could see was in a state of ebullition, andformed rings flowing away from the boiling centre like so much water. 

Then, all at once, as if moved by the same set of nerves, they allturned and fled, for without the slightest warning, a part of the lakeshot up some fifty feet in the air, like some great geyser, but insteadof boiling water it was fluid rock of dazzling brightness even in thesunshine. Then it fell with a sound of hideous splashing, and as theyturned to gaze back there was a little rising and falling, and then allwas still once more, and the surface rapidly scummed over and grewsilvery and dull. 

"I wouldn't have missed this for anything, " cried Panton, breaking thesilence as they stood watching the lake, and then, amid many expressionsof wonder and awe at the grandness of the scene, they began to maketheir way along the well-defined rim of the crater. But slowly, forinside there was not a level space, all being a chaos of riven andscattered masses of slag, obsidian, and scoria, ragged, sharp and inpart glazed by the fluid rock. 

"It aren't what I thought it would be, Mr Oliver Lane, sir, " saidSmith, scraping the perspiration from his face with a thin piece of theobsidian which he had picked up, while Wriggs followed his example for afew moments and then threw his piece down. 

"What did you expect?" said Oliver. 

"On'y a big hole, sir, running right down into the middle o' the world;and I thought we should be able to see into the works. "

"Works! What works, man!" said Oliver, smiling. 

"Why, them as makes the world turn round; for it do turn round, don'tit?"

"Of course, but not from any cause within. "

"I say, Tommy, mind what yer at with that there bit o' stuff, " growledWriggs. 

"Why?"

"It's sharp as ragers. I've cut my cheek. "

"Sarve yer right for being so clumsy. You should use it like thishere. "

"Well, I did, matey. "

"I'm blest!" cried Smith, throwing down the piece of volcanic glass, anddabbing at his nose, whose side was bleeding slightly. 

"Cut yoursen?"

"Ay: didn't know it was so sharp as that. "

Wriggs chuckled heartily, and the little party moved on as well as theycould for the great fissures about the rim, some of which went down intoprofound depths, from whence rose up strange hissings and whisperings ofescaping gases, and breathings of intensely hot air. 

There was so much to see, that they would willingly have gone on tryingto follow the edge all round, but before long they had warnings that thewhole of one side was impassable from the vapours rising from thevarious fuming rifts, and that it would be madness to proceed; and atlast as Panton was pressing his friends to persevere for a few yardsfarther, they had what Smith called "notice to quit, " in a change of thewind that wafted a scorching heat toward them, which, had they not fledover the side and down the outer slope for a short distance, would haveproved fatal. 

It was only temporary, though, for the fresh cool air came again, andthey stopped, hesitating about returning. 

"We ought to have thought of it sooner, " said Panton. 

"Never mind, I'll climb back to yonder, " said Oliver, pointing. "Thatseems to be the highest point. Come with me, Smith, " and he began toclimb the ascent once more, closely followed by the sailor. 

"Whatcher going to do, sir?" cried the man, as Oliver took out whatseemed to be a good-sized gold watch. 

"You'll soon see, " replied Oliver, as he toiled upward. 

"But can't yer see what's o'clock down where they is, sir, just as wellas up yonder?"

Oliver laughed, and kept on making for a conical rock needle, evidentlythe remaining portion of a mass of the crater edge when it was fiftyfeet or so higher, and being wider had remained, when other portionswere blasted away by the terrific explosions which had occurred. 

"Yer not going to climb up atop there, are yer, sir?" said Smith. 

"Yes, you stay below, " said Oliver. Finding that, as he had expected, it was an intensely hard miniature mountain of vitrified scoria, andtolerably easy of ascent, he began to climb. 

"He aren't my orsifer, " muttered Smith, "and I shan't stop back. Ishould look well if he had an accident. So here goes. "

As Oliver mounted, he climbed after him, till they stood together, righton the conical pinnacle, with only just room for them to remain erect, the great boiling crater below on one side, the glorious view of thefairy-like isle, with its ring of foam around, and the vivid bluelagoon, circling the emerald green of the coast. There it all wasstretched out with glorious clearness, and so exquisite, that for a fewmoments Oliver was entranced. 

Then the fairy-like vision became commonplace, and Oliver started backto everyday life, for Smith said gruffly, --

"Better see what's o'clock, and come down, sir, for that there big pot'sa-going to boil over again. "

Even as he spoke there was a roar, a great gush upward of fiery fluid, and a sensation of intense heat, while the pinnacle upon which theystood literally rocked and threatened to fall. 

"Quick! get down, " said Oliver, taking out the watch-like object oncemore, glancing at it, and then replacing it in his vest. 

"Comin' too, sir?"

"Yes, all right; five thousand nine hundred feet. "

Smith stared, but went on descending, followed by Oliver, while the glowshed upon them was for a few moments unbearable. Then the huge fountainof molten rock ceased playing, the glow scorched them no longer, andthey scrambled and slid down in safety to where their friends werewaiting, and commenced their descent after taking their bearings as wellas they could. 

"What did you make it?"

"Just over five thousand nine hundred. "

"And we've got nearly all that distance to go down, " said Drew. "I'mtired already. "

But there was no help for it, and they toiled on down among the crevicesin safety, and finally reached the brig, but not till close uponmidnight, rejoicing, in spite of their weariness, upon a great featachieved. 

"But it caps me, that it do, " said Smith in the forecastle. 

"What does?"

"Why, for that Mr Oliver Lane. I knows as we say they gents has gottools for everything, but I never knowed as there was watches made ascould tell yer the time and how high up yer are all at once. Well, there is, and I see it all, and it's quite right. I mean to have one ofthem watches, and I asked Mr Oliver Lane about 'em. He says you canbuy 'em in London for thrippenten apiece, and I think he says as theywas made by a woman, Mrs Annie Royd, but I aren't quite sure. "

"But yer can't afford to give thrippenten for one of they things, "growled Wriggs. 

"How do you know, matey? Mebbe I can, my lad. "

"What yer want it for?"

"See how high yer are up when yer climbs mountains. I mean to say itwould be grand. "

"Ah, well, I don't want one o' them, " said Wriggs, thoughtfully. 

"What do you want, then?"

"One o' them things as yer looks through into a drop a' water and seesas what yer drinks is all alive. "

"Not you, " said Smith, contemptuously; "what you wants is plenty morewater in big tanks in our hold, and if I was Mr Rimmer, cap'en of thishere ship, I should make some, and keep 'em full. "

"What for? Swimmin' baths?"

"Swimmin' great-grandmothers, " growled Smith, contemptuously. "No, mylad, I've got a sort o' sentiment as one o' these days the niggers'llcome and catch us on the hop, and if so be as they do, and we keep 'emfrom gettin' in here, do you know what it'll be?"

"Stickin' knives and harrers in us, if they can. "

"No, " said Smith, laying his hand upon his companion's shoulder andplacing his lips to his ear, with the result that Wriggs started awaywith his face looking of an unpleasant clay colour. 

"Think so, mate?" he gasped. 

"Ay, that I do, Billy. They will as sure as a gun. " Oddly enough, justabout the same time as the two sailors were holding this conversation, achat was going on in the cabin respecting the lugger and how to get herlaunched. Like Smith, the mate seemed to be suffering from a"sentiment, " and he was talking very seriously. 

"I did not see it before, " he said, "but it all shows what noodles weare when we think ourselves most clever. "

"Interpret, " said Panton; "your words are too obscure. "

"I mean about the lugger, " said the mate. "I went well all over it inmy mind before I began her, and saw that it would be much easier tobuild her here where everything was handy than to carry the materialsdown to the edge of the lagoon. "

"Of course, " said Oliver. "That would have been very awkward, for themen would have had to go to and fro morning and evening. "

"But, " said Panton, "a hut might have been run up for them to sleep in. "

"Which means dividing a force already too weak. If the blacks makeanother serious attack upon us we shall have enough to do to hold ourown here together, without having part of us defending a flimsy hut, which they would serve at once as they will us here if we don't takevery great care. "

"Eh? How?" said Oliver, startled by the mate's manner. 

"Burn us out as sure as we're alive. "

CHAPTER FORTY SIX. 

A NOVEL LAUNCH. 

The idea was revived again by the mate. 

"That's a pleasant way of looking at things, " said Panton. 

"Horrible!" exclaimed Drew, with a shiver. 

"Yes, we've had enough of fire from the volcano, " said Oliver, with aglance in its direction, forgetting as he did that it was invisible fromtheir side of the mist. 

"We have, gentlemen, " said the mate, "but that will be their plan. Wemay beat them off times enough, but so sure as they set thoroughly towork to burn us out, we're done for, sir. "

"You think so?"

"No, I don't think. We're as inflammable as can be, and they've onlygot to bring plenty of dry, fierce, burning wood and pile it up, andthere we are as soon as they set light to it. They can have a goodfeast then. "

"What?" cried Drew. 

"Feast, sir. There'll be plenty of roast men done to a turn. "

"Don't!" cried Oliver. "You give me quite a turn. "

The discussion arose one morning some weeks after the ascent to thecrater, and when, after a tremendous amount of collecting, the threenaturalists had owned that it was getting on toward the time for helpingMr Rimmer a little over the preparations for getting away from theisland. 

"Really, Mr Rimmer, " Oliver said, "I am ashamed of my selfishness. "

"Eh? What have you been doing selfish, my dear sir?" was the reply. 

"Thinking of nothing but my own pleasure. "

"Pleasure, sir? Why, I haven't seen you playing any games but a bit ortwo of chess with Mr Panton. "

"I mean in thinking of nothing else but my collecting. "

"Why, that was your work, sir. "

"It is a pleasure to me, and I have thought of nothing else. "

"And quite right too, my lad. You came out on purpose to make acollection, didn't you?"

"Well, yes. "

"And you've made a splendid one, sir. I never saw such birds andbutterflies and beetles before, let along the snakes and things. "

"Yes, I have been grandly successful, " said Oliver; "certainly. "

"And so have your friends. You're satisfied, I hope, Mr Panton?"

"More than satisfied, " cried that gentleman. "I've a wonderfulcollection of minerals, and I've picked up some grand facts on volcanicand coral formation. "

"Oh, yes, " cried Drew. "I'm satisfied, too. I'm only afraid thatyou'll have to build another boat to carry my specimens. "

"All right, we'll build one if it's necessary, but we've got to tacklethis one first. Everything's done that can be done before she's in thewater. No likelihood of another earthquake wave, is there, sir?"

"There might be one at any time, " said Panton; "but it might be fivehundred years. "

"And it would be tiresome to wait as long as that, eh, sir?" said themate, with a droll twinkle of the eye. 

"Yes, you'd better get her down to the sea first. What do you mean todo?"

"Begin to-morrow morning, gentlemen; and if you would be so good as tolet the birds and stones and flowers alone now, and help me till we getthe _Little Planet_ afloat, I should be obliged. "

"You know we'll all do our best, Mr Rimmer, " said Panton. "You'vehelped us whenever we have hinted at wanting a hand. "

"Why, of course, sir, of course, " said the mate, interrupting thespeaker. "It's all right: turn for turn. "

"But why not begin to-day?" said Oliver. 

"To be sure, " said the others. 

"I didn't want to be hard upon you, gentlemen, and so I thought I'd giveyou a day's notice, but if you would all tackle to at once, why, Ishould be glad. "

"Then as far as we're concerned, " said Oliver, "the lugger's launched. "

"Thank you, gentlemen, all of you, " said the mate; and then drily, "butI don't think we shall get her in the water to-day. "

There was a hearty laugh at this, but they were all serious directly, and the question of the launching was taken up. 

"Two miles to the lagoon, " said Oliver; "it's a long way. "

"Yes, sir, but every foot we get her along, will be one less. "

"Of course, " said Oliver. "And do you think your plans will work?"

"I hope so, sir. We'll give them a good try first, before we start uponanother. "

They went down over the side and stood directly after examining thelines of the well-made little vessel, which was about the size of aCornish fishing boat, and now that the greater part of the supports hadbeen knocked away, and she could be seen in all her regularity, compliments were freely given to her builder and architect. 

"Well, I'm not ashamed of her, gentlemen, " said the mate. "All I'mafraid of is that we shall weaken her a bit in hauling her along overthe runners. "

"Have you got your runners made?" said Drew. 

"Have I got my runners made, sir?" said the mate with a chuckle. "I'vegot everything ready, grease and all for making 'em slippery, and underher keel a bit of iron as smooth as if it had been polished. Lookhere!"

He pointed out the curve and finish of the keel, which was so contrivedthat the vessel was quite on the balance, and a couple of men couldeasily rock her up and down, while to keep her straight and prevent herlopping over to one side or the other, an ingenious kind of outriggerhad been contrived out of a couple of yards, which rested on the ground, and were kept there about four feet from the keel. These two were wellpointed and curved up a little in front, and gave the lugger theappearance of riding in a sledge-like cradle. 

Moreover, a capstan had been rigged up, half a cable's length away, andas soon as a rope had been attached to a hole low down close to thekeel, word was given, the capstan was manned, the sailors gave a cheeras the stout cable secured low down beneath the lugger's bows graduallytightened, strained, and stretched, quivering in the bright morningsunshine, but the vessel did not move. Then a halt was called while themate re-examined the well-greased runners, and then gave the word forthe men to ply their capstan bars once more. 

But still she did not move, and a despairing look began to gather uponthe mate's brow, till Smith sidled up to Oliver and said, --

"I've jest whispered to Billy Wriggs to go round t'other side, sir, along o' Mr Panton, and if you and me and Master Drew was to do thesame here, I dessay we could start her. "

"Yes, what are you going to do?" asked Oliver. 

"Just ketch hold here, sir, and we'll give her a bit of a rock. Onceshe's started, away she goes. "

As the sailor spoke, he took hold of the yard rigged out on one side tokeep the lugger upright, the others did the same on the other side, andas the cable was tightened once more with a jerk, which gave forth amusical deep bass twang, Smith shouted, "All together!" and with hiscompanions, he began to give the hull a gentle rocking movement fromside to side. 

Then a tremendous cheer arose, and as every man tugged and strained, thevessel began to move, so little that it was almost imperceptible, andOliver's heart sank at the thought of two miles to go at that rate; butin less than a minute, as she was rocked a little more, she gainedmomentum, the men at the capstan strained and cheered, and away shewent, slowly and steadily, on and on the whole half cable's length. 

"Now right up to the capstan, " cried solemn, heavy-looking Wriggs; andas she came to a stand, and the men took out their bars and begancheering again in the glorious sunshine, with the coral rock and sandreflecting the brilliant light, and the rapid tropic growth glowing inits most vivid golden green, the rough sailor took off his straw hat, dashed it down upon the ground, screwed up his face into the most severeof frowns, folding his arms tightly across his chest, he gave a kind oftrot round to form a circle, and then turned into the middle, stoppedfor a moment, gave three stamps and a nod to an imaginary fiddler, andstarted off in the regular sailor's hornpipe, dancing lightly and well, but as seriously as if his life depended upon the accuracy of his steps. 

"Hooroar! Brayvo, Billy!" yelled Smith, bending down and beginning tokeep time by giving a succession of ringing slaps on his right thigh, and in an instant the whole crew joined in slapping and cheering, whilethe mate and his passengers joined in the hearty laugh. 

"Go it, lad!" "Brayvo, Billy!" "Lay it down, lad!" came in a ruggedchorus, and Wriggs danced on with wonderful skill and lightness, puttingin all the regular pulling and hauling business right to the very end, which was achieved with the most intense solemnity of manner, amidtremendous applause. 

"Capstan!" he shouted as he stopped, and then he was the first to beginloosening the piece of mechanism which had to be taken up and refixedstrongly with block and stay a whole cable's length, this time fartheron towards the sea. 

"Slow work, " said the mate, as he turned from superintending to wipe hisface and give his companions a nod full of satisfaction; "but we're halfa cable's length nearer the lagoon, and if we only did that every day, we should get her afloat in time. "

"It's grand, " cried Oliver, whose face was streaming from his exertions. "I feel quite hopeful now. "

"Hopeful? Yes, " cried Panton. "We shall do it. "

"If we are not interrupted, " said Drew. 

"If we are, " said the mate, "we must make a fight for it. There's thewatch up in the top to give us warning, and the arms all lie ready. Atthe first alarm everyone will make for the brig's deck, and I daresay weshall beat our visitors off. "

"But when we get farther away?" said Drew. 

"Don't let's meet troubles before they're half way, " said the mate, smiling. "Perhaps the blacks may never come again. Let's hope not. "

"Amen, " said Panton, and then everything was forgotten in the businesson hand, all trusting to the careful watch kept from the brig, andworking like slaves to get the capstan fixed to the bars driven inbetween crevices in the bed rock, while stays were fixed to blocks ofcoral, which lay here and there as they had been swept by the earthquakewave. 

The consequence was, that by noon, when the great heat had producedexhaustion, the capstan had been moved three times, and, thanks to thelevel ground, the lugger had glided steadily nearly as many cables'lengths nearer the sea. 

"Do it?" cried the mate, suddenly, as they sat resting and waiting tillthe men had finished their mid-day meal. "Of course we shall do it. "

"Well, " said Oliver, laughing, "no one said we shouldn't. "

"No, " said the mate, "but someone might have thought so. "

"Why, you thought so yourself, Mr Rimmer, " cried Panton, merrily. 

"Yes, I suppose I have been a bit down-hearted about getting her to sea, and it has made me slow over the finishing. But after the way yougentlemen have buckled to, it goes as easy as can be. "

"How long do you reckon we shall be?" asked Drew. 

"Getting her down, sir? Well, I used to say to myself, if we can manageit in two months I shall be satisfied, but I'm beginning to think aboutone now. "

"Why, we shall do it in a week, " cried Oliver. 

"A week?" cried the others. 

"Well, why not? If we go on as steadily this afternoon and evening aswe have this morning, we shall manage to get her along a quarter of amile, and that's an eighth part of the distance. "

"We shall see, " said the mate. "We have had all plain sailing so far. "

"Yes, but the men get every time more accustomed to the work, " saidDrew, "and we ought to do more some days. "

"Of course, " said Panton. "My anxiety is about the blacks. "

Work was resumed then, and by dark they all had the satisfaction offeeling that fully five hundred yards of the long portage had been gotover, and, as Oliver said, there was no reason whatever why they shouldnot get on quite as far day by day. 

There were plenty of rejoicings there that night--"high jinks, " Smithcalled them--but by daylight next morning every man was in his place, and the lugger began to move again. 

And so matters went on day after day, in a regular, uneventful way. There were tremblings of the earth beneath them, and now and then asharp cracking, tearing sound, as if some portion of the rocky bed belowwas splitting suddenly open. 

At times, too, a heavy report was heard from the direction of themountain, generally followed by the flight of birds, making in alarm forthe south, or the appearance of some little herd of deer, but thesematters, like the lurid glow which shone nightly in the clouds above thevolcano, had grown so familiar that they ceased to command muchattention, and the work went steadily on. 

It had to be checked, though, from time to time, for there wereoccasions when difficulties arose as to the proper fixing of the capstanfrom the want of hold in the rock, or the failing of blocks to whichropes could be secured, necessitating the driving down of crowbars intosome crack in the stone. 

At these times, when Mr Rimmer knew almost at a glance that some hoursmust elapse before the half-dozen for whom there was room to work wouldcomplete their task, advantage was taken of the opportunity for ahunting expedition in the nearest patch of forest, or for a party to godown to the lagoon, cross it to the reef, and spend the time with betteror worse luck fishing with lines, or collecting the abundant molluscswhich formed a dainty addition to their food. 

And at last, a month of exactly four weeks from the day they began, thelugger stood up near to the end of the two-mile land voyage, close tothe sands, with the cocoa-nut grove beginning on either side, just atthe edge of the land which had not been swept by the earthquake wave. 

That afternoon there was a desperate fight with the soft, yielding sand, into which the well-worn bearers and blocks used under the lugger's keelkept on sinking so deeply that it seemed as if fresh means must becontrived for getting the boat quite to the water's edge. 

"I'm about done, " said Mr Rimmer, as he stood with a huge mallet in hishand; "this sand gives way directly. We shall have to get her back andmake for the cocoa-nut trees, but I doubt whether they will bear thestrain if we get a cable and blocks at work. "

"But look here, " said Oliver, "I'm not a sailor, but it seems to me--"

He stopped short, and Mr Rimmer looked at him smiling, but Oliverremained silent. 

"He thinks it would be a good plan to put some preserving soap on thelugger, " said Panton laughing. 

"No, I don't, " said Oliver, "but I was thinking that it would not be abad plan to drag the brig's anchor down here, and get it out in thelagoon, and then fix up the capstan on board the lugger and work itthere. "

"No, " said the mate, "it would drag her bows down and wedge her morefast. "

"I had not done, " said Oliver. 

"Well, what would you do then?" asked the mate. 

"Dig a trench just a little wider than the keel, right away down to theshore, and let the water in at high tide. "

"It would all soak away. "

"At first, " said Oliver. "After a time it would be half sand, halfwater, and yielding enough to let the keel go through like a quicksand. "

"He's right, " cried Mr Rimmer, and the men set to work spending twowhole days digging what resembled a pretty good ditch in the sand, andleading from the embedded keel right out nearly to the edge of thewater. 

While this was going on one of the brig's anchors was lowered down intothe dinghy and laid across a couple of pieces of wood, then, with acouple of planks for the keel to run upon, each being taken up in turnand laid end on to the other, the anchor was got right down to thelagoon, dropped about fifty yards out after being attached to a cable, another was knotted on to this, and again another to the last, andcarried through the lugger's bows to where the capstan was fixed. 

At high tide the little remaining sand was rapidly dug away, and thewater began to flow in; the capstan was manned, and a burst of cheeringrose; for as fast as the bars could be worked and the cables in turncoiled down, the new boat was drawn through the sand and out till shewas head over the anchor, with a clear foot below her keel. 

"You'd better take command, Mr Lane, " said the mate, shaking handswarmly. "I ought to have thought of that, but it was beyond me. Therewe are, then. Now, all we have to do is to load her up with yourtreasures and plenty of stores, and then make for some other island, andfrom one to the other until we can get to a civilised port. "

"Why not make another lugger, so as to have everything you can belongingto the _Planet_?"

"And give you gentlemen more time to collect?"

"Exactly. "

"Well, I don't see why not, " said the mate, thoughtfully. "It grievesme to have the good old vessel stranded here with no end of valuablestuff in her; and now that we shall soon have the means of getting awaywhen we like, I think I might as well set the men to work at another. "

"But you'll get the rigging and stores on board this one first, " saidPanton. 

"Of course, " replied the mate; "but there is another thing to think of, gentlemen. "

The others looked at him inquiringly. 

"When this boat is ready and properly laden, she cannot be left withouta crew on board. "

"On account of the blacks, " cried Oliver. "No, it is impossible for herto be left. "

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN. 

LEFT IN THE LURCH. 

The question of building another craft remained in abeyance for a time, all attention being given to the furnishing, the decking, rigging, andother fittings of the _Little Planet_. Then the cases of specimens weregot down and placed on board, Panton's first, for they took the place ofballast. Then all necessary stores and water were stowed away, withcompass, instruments, and everything ready for an immediate start. 

"We shall be packed pretty close, " said the mate; "but I propose that weland whenever we have an opportunity, so that we shall not feel theconfinement quite so much. "

"Then, now that all is right, we may go on collecting?"

"Yes, " said the mate, "and I think instead of attempting to buildanother it would be wiser to half-deck over our two best boats and storethem ready. I can't help feeling that it will be safer, and that if wetry to save too much we may lose all. "

This was finally settled, and a crew selected for the lugger under oneor other of the passengers, each taking the command for a week. 

This went on for a month, when one day the mate said, --

"Look here, gentlemen, I want a holiday. I've worked pretty hard, and Ithink it's my turn to go on the new expedition. What do you say?"

"It is only just, " they chorussed. 

"Then I propose taking the lugger and sailing round the island--as webelieve it to be--and then I shall learn something about the prowess ofour new craft and see how she can sail. "

"That's quite right, Mr Rimmer, " said Panton. "Eh, Lane?"

"Of course; we have been horribly selfish in letting him keep on at workfor us while we have been taking our pleasure. "

"Which again was work, gentlemen, work, " replied the mate, good-humouredly. "But all the same, my dear fellows, there will not bemuch pleasure in this trip. I want to see whether our craft isseaworthy before we are compelled to take to her in real earnest. Itwould be rather awkward if she began to open her seams as soon as anystrain was put upon her by the sails and a heavy sea. Believe me, Iwould not go if I didn't think it right. "

"My dear Mr Rimmer, " said Oliver, "do you think we do not know that?"

"But it's like leaving you all in the lurch. "

"Nonsense, " cried Panton; "we shall be all right. How long will you begone?"

"I can't say. Two or three days. Perhaps altogether. "

"Eh?" cried Drew, in dismay. 

"The _Little Planet_ may prove untrustworthy, and take me to the bottom, gentlemen, " said the mate, calmly. "Who knows?"

"Suppose we don't make the worst of it, " said Oliver. "We know what asailor you are. "

"Well, I grant that I am, gentlemen, and ought to be, " replied the mate. "I was brought up to the sea, but I never tried my hand atship-building before. "

"Never mind, you've done wonders, " cried Panton. "When shall youstart?"

"To-morrow, about mid-day. That will give me time to make a fewpreparations. Let's see, I must have some fighting tools and powder. "

"Of course. How many men will you take with you?"

"Three. That will be enough to manage the sails. I shall take thehelm. You, gentlemen, will take command, of course, and see that thewatches are kept regularly. "

Oliver nodded as much as to say, "you may trust us, " and after a littlemore discussion of the mate's plans, the three men were selected andsent down to the boat to take the places of two men who were in charge. 

They sat for long enough in the cabin that night, looking out throughthe open window at the lightning flickering about the volcano cloud, andthe fire-flies flitting about the nearest patch of green growth, whileevery now and then a faint passing quiver told that the action below wasstill going on, though its violence seemed to be past, and thedisturbance gradually dying out, perhaps to wait for years beforeanother outbreak. There was a feeling akin to sadness as they sattalking, for they had all grown so intimate that the parting on themorrow promised to be painful. But the mate saw how they were allaffected, and tried hard to cheer them up, rising at last to take afinal look round before they retired for the night. 

Oliver's sleep was terribly disturbed. He dreamed that the blacks hadcome with no ordinary weapons, but each bearing a bundle of dry woodwhich they piled-up round the brig and set on fire, and as the flamesflashed in his eyes he started up in bed to see that the cabin wasvividly illuminated, but only for a moment or two at a time, and he knewthat it was from the electricity which played about the mountain top. 

He was glad enough when daylight came, and after a bathe in the springwhere the bitter water was just comfortably hot, he felt refreshed andtook upon himself the duty of sending off the rifles, guns, andammunition, which would be needed on the voyage. 

These were entrusted to Smith to carry down to the lagoon and put onboard, and at last the hour arrived for the mate to start, Panton beingleft for that day in command at the brig, while Oliver and Drew started, gun on shoulder, to see Mr Rimmer off. 

Very little was said during the walk, and the young men's spirits sanklow when they reached the coral sands where the lugger, with sails allready for hoisting, lay on the pleasantly rippled blue lagoon. 

"Capital, " cried Mr Rimmer. "Just wind enough to take us well outthrough the opening in the reef. "

As he spoke he waved his hand, the dinghy put off from the lugger, and aman rowed to the shore. 

"Good-bye, " cried the mate, quickly. "Only a pleasant trip, my dearsirs. I'll soon be back. Shove off. "

"It is to avoid showing that he is nervous about his voyage, " saidOliver as the man obeyed, and the little boat skimmed away toward wherethe lugger lay hanging on to a buoy, formed of a little keg anchored toa huge block of coral in the deepest part, by a great noose which hadbeen cleverly dropped around the rock. And then as they stood leaningupon their guns, the dinghy reached the lugger and was made fast, themooring rope was cast off and the men began to hoist the first sail, when Drew suddenly uttered a cry of horror. 

"What's the matter?" exclaimed Oliver. 

"Look! look!" was the reply. 

Oliver already saw. A great war canoe was being paddled down the lagoonfrom the north, another was approaching from the south, and from out ofthe haze made by the booming breakers, a third came on toward theopening through which the mate had arranged to pass to the sea. 

The two young men stood paralysed for a few moments, before Oliverraised his gun to give a signal of alarm. 

But he lowered it into the hollow of his arm, as he felt that it wasunnecessary, for the mate must see. 

"Look, " cried Drew. "He's coming back to take his luck with us, " asthey saw that the canoes were being paddled rapidly to lay their crewson board. For the sail hoisted had filled, and the second was beingraised while the mate at the helm was steering the lugger as if to bringher close to where the young men stood. 

"That's right, come ashore, we'll cover you, " roared Oliver, and then heuttered a groan, for the lugger curved round when close to them, andthen rushed through the water toward the opening in the reef. 

Oliver's heart sank. 

"Discretion's the better part of valour, " he muttered, "he's going toleave us all in the lurch. "

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT. 

A WET RACE FOR LIFE. 

These were harsh and cruel words to use respecting the man who had shownso much true manliness of disposition; but there are times when we allshow what a great deal of the imperfect there is in our natures, andthis was one of those times with Oliver, who, judging by the mate'sacts, formed the conclusion that, seeing their case was desperate, and away out to save his own life, he had, in sudden panic, fled. 

"Seems like it, " said Drew, sadly. "But quick, lie down. No, let's getbehind here. "

The need of concealment was pressing, for they were standing out uponthe open sands, and, with a feeling of despair and misery attacking him, Oliver followed his companion to where some huge fragments of madreporecoral lay a few yards from the water's edge, affording them a placewhere they could hide, and, at the same time, observe what was going onout in the lagoon, where matters were growing exciting. 

"Better have come back and fought it out with us, " said Drew, bitterly, as they saw that the blacks were straining every effort to cut off thelugger before it reached the gap in the barrier reef; while, evidentlyseeing the situation of affairs, those who were in the canoe outsidewere, like the occupants of the lugger, though from a different side, rapidly approaching the opening. 

"They'll cut him off before he reaches it, " said Oliver, excitedly. "Can we do anything to help him?"

"No, nothing, we are too far-off, " said Drew, sadly. "How could he beso foolish?"

"And why don't he give up the helm to one of the men? Either of themcould steer; and he could throw the blacks into confusion by firing afew shots. "

But after a little show of excitement on board, Mr Rimmer stayed by thehelm; while the two canoes, from north and south, with some twentypaddles on each side, made the blue water flash like diamonds, as theythrew it up with their spoon-shaped implements, sending their canoesalong at a tremendous rate. 

"They'll cut him off, they'll cut him off, " cried Oliver, excitedly. "Oh, why don't he fire at them?"

He paused breathless, watching the exciting scene of the luggercareening over, as she raced through the water. 

"My word, she sails well, " said Drew. 

"Splendidly, " cried Oliver. "But don't, don't talk about the boat. Look at poor Rimmer, he stands up there as if brave as a lion. I wish Ihadn't said that about him, and yet it's true enough, he's running awaylike a cur. But it's no good, my friend, they're too much for you;they'll cut in just before you get to the opening, and be aboard of youlike a swarm of wasps. Oh, Drew! it's horrible!"

"And all our specimens, the work of months, gone. "

"Hang the specimens!" cried Oliver. "I'd give a hundred times as manyto be on the lugger now with our guns. A few good shots, and we couldsave him. "

"Yes. Shall we fire now?"

"Pooh! Shall we throw a few handfuls of sand into the water, or two orthree stones? Look! there they go; they're going to drive their prowsright into her, one on each side, and with their length, speed, andweight, they'll crush in her planks like a matchwood box. I can't bear, to see it. It's horrible. "

"I can't; but I must look, " cried Drew, piteously. 

"Yes, we must look and see the worst, " groaned Oliver. Then stampinghis foot: "Why are we not there to help him?"

He ceased speaking, and stood leaning forward, with his eyes just abovethe edge of the rock, gazing, fascinated by the scene before him. Therewere the four vessels all clear in the brilliant sunshine, three of themwith their prows aimed straight at the fourth, which appeared to bedoomed as it glided along with its sails well filled, rushing now forthe opening before it, and the sea. 

Closer and closer the canoes on either side, gliding along, with theirdark sides flecked with silver, and their black crews toiling on withwondrous exactitude, on and on with increasing speed, while the thirdcanoe slackened, and suddenly was thrown right across the opening, as ifto block the gateway leading to freedom. On either side the hugebreakers glided in softly, and then, as they reached the reef; rose, curled over, glistening with green, blue, and gold, as they hung for amoment or two on high, and then crashed down into sparkling gems, fromwhich diamond dust seemed to rise in a soft vapoury cloud. 

But still the collision did not come. The distance was greater than thewatchers had allowed for, and in those exciting moments time seemed tobe long-drawn-out. 

"Now it's coming, " cried Oliver, at last. "Good-bye, Rimmer, I likedyou, after all. Ah!"

His last ejaculation was quite a wild exciting cry, for the distancebetween the prows of the two canoes, and the sides of the lugger grewless and less, and then they seemed to strike and go right through her, while imagination painted her crew struggling in the water, to bepierced through and through by the spears of the savages. 

"Hurrah!" shouted Drew suddenly, and a film of mist which had beenblurring Oliver Lane's eyes, suddenly cleared away, for though the twoprows had seemed to go through the lugger, there she was still racing onfor the gap, while the two canoes partly crossed behind her stern aftershe had dashed between them, and their occupants were curving round togo in chase, crossing and taking up their positions on either sideastern. 

"Escaped for the moment, but it's all over, " cried Oliver, "they'll takeher now, she can't get away. Look, what is Rimmer going to do? Oh, itis madness. "

Madness or no, the mate's decision was plain enough to them now, and itwas evident that he had some faith in the strength of his boat, foronward she was rushing straight for the side of the great sixty-footlong canoe which blocked the way. One minute the watchers saw her riseup on one of the rollers that came pouring through the opening, the nextshe was nearly lost to sight, but only to rise again upon another, beingsuspended in equilibrium for a few moments and then careening over, shedashed down a slope of water, right on to, and as it were, over the longnarrow canoe and then off and away to sea. 

Oliver Lane could hardly believe it for the moment, but it was all trueenough, there was the _Little Planet_ sailing away, while through theopening in the reef the great canoe floated bottom upwards, and thewhite foamy water was seen to be dotted with black heads, whose ownerswere swimming for the wreck of their vessel, or to the two canoes whichapproached them. 

"Three cheers for Rimmer, " cried Drew, excitedly. 

"A hundred if he had played fair, " said Oliver, sadly. "But there itis. You see: he _has_ left us in the lurch. "

"Well, yes, I suppose so. It was very plucky, though, andself-preservation is the first law of nature. "

"And the last exception in civilisation, " said Oliver, bitterly. 

"Perhaps so, but I hope he'll get our specimens safe to England. "

"And I wish he had shown himself a better man. "

"No time for discussion, " said Drew, quietly, as he watched the canoes. "They're picking up all their wet ones. My word, how the beggars canswim. Now, then, what have we got to do?"

"Make for the cocoa-nut grove in order to be under cover, and then keepalong under the trees for the brig, so as to give the alarm. "

"Yes, they won't be long, I suppose, before they come ashore. Will youlead, or shall I?"

"Go on, " said Oliver. "Better crawl right on your breast, or we shallbe seen. "

"As we most likely shall be, whether or no. "

"Never mind, off!"

Drew dropped flat upon the sand, and, dragging his gun after him, beganto crawl as fast as he could towards the cocoa-nut grove where the boatwas hidden, and fortunately the distance was only short, for the sunbeat down with tremendous force and the glistening coral sand wasalready growing very hot. 

"I was never meant for a snake, " said Drew, as he painfully draggedhimself along. "Ugh, you little wretch!" he cried, and thrustingforward his gun, he passed the muzzle under a little short thick viper, which lay basking just in his way, sent it flying, pitchfork fashion. 

"Poisonous, " said Oliver, who noted where the flat, spade headed littleserpent fell. "Looks wonderfully like an asp, such as they have inEgypt. Go on faster. "

"Can't, " grumbled Drew, but he did exert himself, and soon after rosewith a sigh of relief, well hidden by the grove of trees. 

"No, no, " cried Oliver. "Never mind the canoes. Rimmer's all rightnow. Why, Drew!"

"Yes?"

"Smith must have been in the lugger and gone off with him. "

"Smith?"

"Yes, he took down the guns and ammunition. We've lost our best man. "

They had plenty of opportunity now for keeping under cover, the treeshaving rapidly sent out young shoots along the edge of the forest wherethey could, since the passing of the earthquake wave, enjoy plenty ofsunshine, and hurrying forward, the pair were not long in catching sightof the masts of the brig. 

"Keep up, " said Oliver suddenly, for soon after they had reached towithin sight of home Drew had suddenly stopped short. "What's thematter?"

"Don't you see?" was the answer. "Quick, keep well under cover. "

"What for?"

"Look at the mainmast! There's a danger signal flying. "

"Then they have caught sight of the blacks coming on in the distance, and it is a warning to us to look sharp. "

"It's a warning to us to keep off, " cried Drew, excitedly; "and theregoes another. "

Oliver started, and his heart sank, for he saw that at which hiscompanion pointed--a puff of white smoke fired from the foretop, anddirectly after there was a dull report. 

"Look! look!" he too cried, now excitedly, as he pointed between theleaves, for, not half a mile away, and pretty close to the brig, blackfigures were visible, first two or three, then more and more. 

"Got here before us, " said Drew in a despairing tone. 

"No, some more of the black scoundrels must have landed on the otherside of the island. "

CHAPTER FORTY NINE. 

SMITH'S "NARROW SQUEAK. "

"Lane, old chap, " said Drew, "can't Panton turn on the fireworks?"

"What do you mean?"

"Poke up the volcano and get up a good eruption, so as to sweep thesewretches away. "

"He seems to have already done it, " said Oliver, bitterly. "Haven't younoticed that the ground has been all of a quiver for long enough?"

"No, too much worried over getting away. I wish a good blow up wouldcome. "

"As bad for us as for the blacks, man. But what are we to do?"

"I don't know. What do you say to keeping on along the edge till we areopposite to the brig, and then making a rush as you did before?"

"Seems our only chance. "

"Or wait till dusk and then try?"

"No, they want our help at the brig as badly as we want theirs. I thinkwe had better creep on slowly. If we are seen, we must let the enemycome close, and then give them four barrels and rush. They'll cover usfrom the brig. "

The plan was decided upon, and keeping along the edge of the forest, they went cautiously on, sensible now that the tremulous motion of theearth was on the increase, while in addition there came a short sharpreport from the mountain. 

"Won't this scare the niggers?" said Drew as they stopped toreconnoitre. 

"It doesn't seem to, " replied Oliver, as they peered between the trunksof some newly-sprung-up palms. "They're taking it coolly enough. "

The blacks were in fact walking about, now gazing toward the brig, nowalong the opening toward the sea. 

"Why, I know, " cried Drew; "they're waiting for their friends whom wesaw. When they come there'll be a general attack. "

Oliver was silent for a few moments, as he stood watching the movementsof the blacks. 

"That's it, " he said at last. "Then our plan is to get to the brig atonce. "

He led on now till they were as near as they could get, and as theystood in the dark shadow of the forest the question was, had the enemysense enough to invest the vessel and plant sentries all round? If theyhad, the difficulties were greatly increased; and to solve this problem, Oliver made his companion wait, sheltered by a great tree, while hecrept right to the edge to investigate. 

"You'll come back?" said Drew. 

"I will if I am left alive, " said Oliver, quietly, and then he turnedhis head and was in the act of drawing out his little glass to watch theactions of a couple of sun-birds playing merrily about in a narrow sunnybeam of light, but he checked himself; half-laughing the while. "Use issecond nature, " he said, and, leaving his gun with Drew, he went down onhands and knees and crept cautiously along, dislodging beetles, lizards, and more natural history specimens in a few yards than he would in anordinary way in a day. 

In a few minutes he was at the extremity of and beneath a great bough, with the brilliant sunshine before him, the darkness of the forestbehind. There, in front, rising above the low growth and a quarter of amile away, was the brig, with the look-out in the top and a head showinghere and there, one of which he made out by his glass to be Panton's, while it was evident enough that they were well on the _qui vive_. 

To Oliver's great joy there was not a black in sight on his side, thoughplainly enough beyond the vessel, they were hanging about in groups andall well armed. 

As he lay there, sweeping the various objects with his glass, partly forsigns of danger, partly for places of shelter to which they could creep, going from one to the other till they were near enough to make a rushfor the brig, he marked down quite a series. There, a short distancetheir side of the brig, were the heaps of wood rejected in the making ofthe lugger; a little nearer a shed-like construction of bamboo and palmleaves, erected to shelter the men who were adzing and planing theplanks. Then, nearer still, there was a high tuft of newly-grown-upgrass. Again, nearer, a hollow, once full of fish, but long since driedup, and, nearer still, a freshly-grown clump of bamboos. 

"If we can crawl to that unseen, we're all right, and we must risk it atonce, " said Oliver to himself, and then his heart seemed to stand stilland a horrible feeling of despair came over him, for he suddenly madeout a slight movement and jerking amongst the bamboo stems, and, fixinghis glass upon the spot, there, plainly enough, were the soles of aman's feet--a scout evidently, lying extended there, watching the brig. 

Oliver swept the bamboos on both sides for others of the enemy, but allwas so still and the space was so small that he came to the conclusionat last that there was only one foe concealed there, and with pulsesbeginning to throb now from the exciting thought which came upon him, hebacked slowly and silently away and made haste to rejoin Drew. 

"Well?" said the latter, excitedly. 

"Hist! Sound travels, " whispered Oliver, and he hurriedly told all thathe had seen. 

"The brute!" said Drew. "He is, then, between us and safety. "

"Yes. "

"Well, " said Drew, sternly, "I would hurt no man if I could help it, butthat black would not hesitate to kill us and our friends, and inaddition to saving our own lives, we may perhaps help to save those ofthe others. Lane, old fellow, do you think we could creep up behind andstun the wretch?"

"That was the idea that came to me, " said Oliver, hurriedly. "I don'twant to, but we must. "

"Yes, " said Drew, firmly, "we must. "

"And at once. "

"Come on, then, " said Drew. "No firing; the butts of our pieces. "

Oliver nodded with his brow all in wrinkles, and directly after theycrept to the spot from which Oliver had caught sight of the feet amongthe bamboos, and once more, lying flat down, he examined the edgenearest to him, and then handed the glass to Drew, who scanned the spotcarefully. 

"Strange how the insides of the palms of a black's hands and the solesof his feet grow to be nearly white, " whispered Oliver, whose naturalhistory propensities always came to the front, even in times of peril. 

"Yes, " said Drew, returning the glass, "and I only wish their heartswould wear white, too--the murderous wretches. Ready?"

"Yes, both together, and when we are sheltered by the bamboos from theblacks we must rise, take a few quick steps forward together and clubthe wretch. "

"Exactly. No one can see what we do for the canes, and all we want todo is to stun him. "

"Agreed. "

The next minute they were creeping silently and cautiously over thesand, keeping their heads well down and gradually nearing the feet, which, even as they grew closer, remained the only portions of theirenemy's body visible. Every moment they expected to see him take thealarm, and if he did, and attacked them, they would club him if theycould, but it was fully expected that he would take flight, and in thatcase, they determined to follow rapidly, and take their chance ofgetting on board. 

But the man was so intent upon his duty of watching the brig, that hedid not hear; and as they came on and on there were the toes twitchingand jerking about uneasily, and the bamboos amongst which he lay gentlywaved. 

Twenty yards, ten yards, five yards, and now brig and savages werehidden by the giant grass. Oliver turned to Drew, whose face was deadlypale, and their eyes met. Then together they rose, bending in a slopingposition, held their guns by the barrels, and, keeping step, advancedfoot by foot, raising their pieces as they nearly reached the tallgreeny stems and then paused and hesitated, for the same question wasmentally asked by both, --

"How can we reach to strike this man on the head when we are standingclose to his feet?"

The same idea came again to both: "We must strike twice. "

Then a second plan occurred to Oliver, and making a sign to Drew that heshould deliver the blow, he softly laid down his gun and reached forwardto seize one ankle, and suddenly drag the man back. 

Drew took a fresh hold of the barrel of his piece, and raised the buttto strike, as Oliver's hands hovered within a few inches of the man'sankles. 

"I shall have to charnsh it, that I shall!"

The two young men stood as if paralysed, and it was some moments beforeOliver could whisper huskily, --

"Smith!"

The feet were snatched out of sight in an instant, there was a loudrustling, and then a face was thrust out of the bamboos above where theman's feet had been, and just as a bellowing roar came from the mountainand the earth trembled beneath their feet. 

"Why, gentlemen; you?" whispered Smith, for it was indeed he. 

"Yes: we thought you were on board the lugger, and nearly killed you. "

"Then that was a narrow squeak, gentlemen. And I've been thinking as Iwas going to be baked instead. I was on my way with the guns, when Iketches sight of a drove of these here ugly black pigs, and they cheviedme, but, fortunately, I'd got a good start, and run in among the trees, where, somehow or other, they couldn't find me, and at last they give itup, and here have I been tryin' to crawl within reach of the brig, so asto make a run for it, and get aboard. "

"Our plan, too, Smith. We were on our way, " said Oliver, "when we sawyour toes. "

"And I was going to kill you for a savage, when you spoke, " whisperedDrew. 

"Then I'm glad I did speak, sir. My old dad used to say it was a badhabit to think aloud, but it don't seem to be so arter all. "

"We can't do better than creep on, " said Drew. 

"Yes, and now's our time, " said Oliver, excitedly, for a loud shoutingwas heard, and on peering through the waving bamboos, they could see aparty of about a hundred of the blacks coming down from the sea, whilethose who were on the other side of the brig started off running to meetthem. 

"Quick, all together!" cried Oliver, and flat on their faces, andcrawling whenever there was no cover, the three began to make their waytoward the vessel, reaching patch after patch of bush unseen in theexcitement--the blacks' attention being so much taken off--till theshed, and then the heaps of wood were reached. 

"Now for it!" whispered Oliver. "Jump up and run!"

His order was obeyed, and their sudden appearance was as startling toPanton, and the crew of the _Planet_, as to the blacks who were now acouple of hundred yards on the other side, but who now ran back, yellingfuriously. 

"Quick, ropes, and haul us up!" shouted Oliver, and a terribly longspace of time elapsed, or seemed to, before three ropes were cast overthe bulwarks, and seized. 

"Haul away!" roared Smith, "or they'll have us, lads!" and it was a veryclose shave, for, as they were run up, the savages reached the brig'sside, and seizing the ropes, began to drag, expecting to pull thefugitives down. 

But by this time they had seized the bulwarks, and as a spear and clubwere thrown, swung themselves over on to the deck, to help in a kind ofgame of French and English, ending by their jerking the ropes out of theblacks' hands, and sending them to the right about, with a volley fromthe ready guns. 

"My dear boys, " cried Panton, wringing his friends' hands as soon as hewas at liberty. "I was afraid I was left in the lurch. "

"Why?" said Oliver. 

"No, no, I mean that you were all killed. Where's Mr Rimmer?--don'tsay he's dead. "

"I would almost rather have to say so, " said Oliver, "for he seems tohave forsaken us. "

"Gone?"

"Yes; in the lugger, and run for it. "

"To get help, or come back in the dark to help us. "

"That's what I want to think, " said Oliver, "but it is so hard to do so, after what I have seen. "

"Never mind that now, " cried Panton, excitedly. "The niggers arereinforced--so are we, though, thank goodness--and before long they'llmake a big attack. We've had two or three little ones, with noparticular luck on either side. Ready to fight?"

"Of course. "

"Then take a station, and mind this, we can't afford to show mercy. It's war to the knife, our lives or theirs. "

They soon had abundant evidence that this was to be the case, for beforethey had much time to think, there was a loud yelling and the brig wassurrounded by a gesticulating mob of savages, who advanced, sendingtheir arrows sharply against the sides of the vessel, shaking their warclubs, and making fierce darts with their spears wherever they imagineda white to be crouched. 

This went on for an hour or two, and as no real danger threatened solong as they did not attempt to scale the sides, the firing waswithheld, and Panton and his lieutenant, Oliver Lane, contentedthemselves with finishing the elaborate arrangements made against attackby the mate with a plan or two of their own, which consisted in fillingsome small preserved fish tins with powder, adding a piece of fuse, andkeeping them ready for lighting when the right moment came. 

It came long before evening, for at last, satisfied that they would notbe able to frighten the defenders of the brig into a surrender, theblacks made a furious attack, crowding to one side more especially, andtrying to scale the bulwarks. 

And now, as the arrows came in a shower over the attacking party'sheads, firing became general, and watching their opportunity just asmatters were getting very critical, the place of every man shot downbeing taken by a dozen more, Oliver and Panton both held the ends of thefuses they had prepared to the candle in a lantern. They saw that theywere well alight, and then, as calmly as if there were no dangerwhatever of the contents exploding, bore them to the side, with the menshrinking away, and cast them over, right into the most crowded part ofthe attack. 

A fierce yelling followed, and in place of running away, the poorignorant wretches crowded round these strange-looking missiles which hadbeen sent into their midst. 

The next minute there was a terrific roar, followed almost directly byanother which seemed to shake the ship, and then a complete stampede, the blacks who were uninjured helping their wounded comrades off to theshelter of the forest, and leaving many dead behind. 

"Saved!" cried Panton. "They won't face that again. "

"Yes, they will, " said Oliver sadly. "Depend upon it, this is only atemporary scare. "

"Then we'll get ready some more for them. I'm growing bloodthirsty now, and we'll defend the brig to the last. "

The men cheered at this, and watched with interest the making of freshshells, but the afternoon wore on and evening came without a sign of ablack, and at last hopes began to be entertained that the enemy hadfled, so they all partook of a hearty meal. 

"It's the darkness I dread, " said Oliver, soon after sundown, as he andhis friends stood together watching all around, and now and thenmistaking shadows for coming enemies. 

It must have been two hours after dark, though, before there was anyfresh cause for alarm, and it arrived just as Panton had confidentiallysaid, --

"Some of us may sleep, for there'll be no attack to-night. "

"Beg pardon, Mr Oliver Lane, sir, " said a voice at their elbow. 

"Yes, what is it?"

"Billy Wriggs, sir. Ever since he had that swim in the black cavern, his hyes has been like your little glasses. Here, Billy, tell the gentsjust what you says you see. "

"'Undred niggers a crawlin' along like harnts, sir, each one with a bigfaggit on his back, and if they arn't a comin' to burn us out, I'm aDutchman. "

CHAPTER FIFTY. 

THE GREAT PERIL. 

It was the terrible danger foretold by the mate, and dreaded by Oliver, coming when Mr Rimmer was away with his men, and unable to help hiscompanions. 

For the sailor's eyes, long trained to watching through the darkness, had told the truth, there were the blacks slowly advancing, armed withthose simple but deadly weapons, bundles of the most inflammablematerials they could cut in the forest. There they came, stealing alongin a line, crawling like insects toward the bows of the ship, with all asavage's cunning, for they were pointed toward the west, whence thenight breeze now blew strongly, and in utter silence first one and thenanother thrust his load close against the vessel and passed on into thedarkness. 

For a few minutes, the besieged gazed down over their breastwork ofplanking bewildered by the danger. They might have fired and shot manyof their assailants, but they knew that would not save them, for thewhole party kept persistently piling up the faggots, and though Oliverand his friends did not know it, passing round the brig to go backstraight from the stern to the spot whence they had issued from theforest to fetch more faggots, so that there were soon two lines, onecoming laden toward the bows, the other returning from the stern. 

"Buckets, " said Oliver, suddenly. "Form lines to the water tanks. "

The men leaped with alacrity to the task, and in a very short time thebuckets were being filled and passed along to where Smith and Wriggsbravely mounted on to the bowsprit and poured the water down upon theincreasing heap. 

"Give it a good souse round, Billy, " said Smith, "and wet all yer can. "

"Ay, ay, " was the reply, and _splash, splash_ went the water, as thebuckets were passed up and returned empty, producing a great deal ofwhispering from below, but no missiles were sent up, and the blacksworked on with the advantage that their supply was inexhaustible, whilethat of the unfortunate defenders was failing fast. 

"Water's done, " cried Drew, suddenly, "only a few more buckets. "

"Save them, then, " said Panton, sharply. 

"Yes, " said Oliver, "Now, then, Panton, try one of your shells to blowthe heap of faggots away. "

"Good, " cried Panton, and he ran to get one of the powder-filled tinsjust as a couple of fire-flies of a different kind were seen to begliding toward the vessel from the nearest point in the forest. 

"No, " said Oliver, addressing Smith, who had not spoken, but afterhurling down the last bucket of water had seized his gun once more. "Those are not fire-flies but fire sticks. "

"Yes, sir, they're a-goin' to light us up, so that we can see to shootsome of the beggars, for up to now, it would ha' been like aiming atshadders. Is it begin, sir?"

"No, wait till Mr Panton has thrown down the powder. "

Smith drew a long breath, and just as the two bright points of lightdisappeared under the faggot heap, piled now right up among the tarrystays beneath the bowsprit, Panton came up with his lighted fuse. 

"Now, " he said, "down by the side or right atop?"

"Down beside it, or it will do more harm to us than to them. "

"Here goes, " said Panton, and steadily giving the fuse a good puff whichlit up his face, he pitched the shell gently, so that it should rolldown beyond the faggots, and they watched it as it went down and downwith the fuse hissing and sputtering as it burned. 

"Now, then, " cried Oliver, "down: everyone flat on the deck. "

"No go, " said Panton sharply. "I heard the fuse hiss: it fell right inthe water beneath. "

At that moment one of the dry, freshly-thrown faggots, of those theblacks kept on steadily piling up, began to blaze, then to crackle androar, and directly after a blinding, pungent smoke arose, and set deadon the bows and over the deck, driving the defenders away. 

The next minute the pile was hissing and roaring with increasing fury, and, as the surroundings were illumined, the blacks could be seenrunning now, each with his faggot, which he threw on to the heap, wherethe fire grew fiercer and fiercer, and licked up the water which clungto the lower layer, as if it had been so much oil. 

"The powder, the powder!" yelled Wriggs. 

"It's of no use, my man, " cried Oliver, "it would only increase thefire. "

"Hadn't we better shoot some of the beggars down, sir?" said Smith. 

"What would be the good?" replied Oliver. "Even if we killed a dozen ortwo we should be no better off. Now, every man be ready with his gun, in case they try to swarm on deck. "

He motioned his devoted band a little back, for Panton somehow resignedeverything into his hands now, and there by the bright light they drewaway aft, facing outward, ready for their first assailant. 

But attack now seemed to be far from the intentions of the enemy; theyhad delivered their assault, and with patient energy they kept onpertinaciously bearing more and more faggots to the pile, even when thetask had become unnecessary. For the great sheets of flame curved overthe bulwarks, and the unfortunate defenders had the mortification ofseeing that the boards and planks, all carefully nailed up under themate's directions, were so much inflammable matter to feed the flames, which began to roar now like a furnace, as the bowsprit, with its welltarred ropes and stays, caught, and the figure-head and fore part of thevessel were well alight. 

"On'y one thing'd save her now, Billy, " said Smith, coolly. 

"What's that, mate, blowin' of her up?"

"Nay, a good header into a big wave. "

He was quite right, for moment by moment the furnace-like heatincreased, and the fire could be seen burning slowly up the stays towardthe fore mast, with drops of burning tar beginning to rain down on thedeck. 

"Anyone got anything down below he wants to save?" cried one of the men, as they were gradually beaten back, and there was a movement towards theforecastle hatch. 

"Stop!" shouted Oliver. "Are you all mad? The cabin there is in ablaze. "

It was too true; the forepart of the brig was well alight now, and theflames eating their way slowly and steadily toward the stern. 

"Be ready, all of you, " said Oliver, the next minute. 

"What are you going to do?" asked Panton. 

"Throw one of the small kegs into the fire. Then, as it goes off, wemust all drop down from the gangway, and fight our way to the southopening in the woods. I daresay we can get some distance under thecover of the smoke and confusion. "

"Good, " cried Panton. "It is our only chance. This vessel will be apile of ashes in an hour's time. "

That was evident to all, for the heat was growing tremendous, and evenas Panton spoke the flames were running rapidly up the rigging of theforemast, which promised soon to be in a blaze right to the truck. 

The smoke, too, was blinding, but when they could get a glance over theside, there were the blacks still silently toiling away, hurling on thefaggots of wood which were licked up in a few moments, as with acrackling roar they added to the fierceness of the blaze. 

And now, without a word, the little keg of powder was got up from thestores where it had been carefully stowed along with the cases ofcartridges and the captain's tiny armoury. 

Panton went with Smith to bring it up, the latter carrying it andplacing it upon the deck while the sparks and flakes of fire flewoverhead in a continuous stream, some of them lodging upon the furledsails, forming specks of fire which soon began to glow, telling thatbefore many minutes had elapsed the main mast would become a pyramid offlame. 

"I don't know how it's to be done now, " said Panton. "No one could gonear enough to the fire to fling it in. "

"I'll scheme that, sir, " said Smith, "if you'll let me. "

"No, " said Oliver, "I will not let any man run risks. Stop: I know, " hecried. 

"How?" asked Panton. 

"Stand ready there, right aft, " said Oliver. "Get plenty of ropes overthe stern rail, and we must escape there when the powder explodes. "

"But how will you manage with the keg?"

"I'll show you, " said Oliver, and while ropes were made fast to thebelaying-pins and stays, and cast over the stern in a dozen places, hetook Smith and Wriggs with him bearing one of the longest planks thatcould be torn down above the bulwarks. The end of this was rested uponthe cover of the deck-house, seven feet above the deck, the other thrustforward to where the flames were eating their way along, and showingthat below, the forecastle and hold were rapidly becoming a furnace offire. 

"Now give me the keg, " said Oliver, and Smith handed it up to where heclimbed on the deck-house, and it was placed there on end, the youngman's figure showing up in the brilliant glow of light, and offering aneasy mark to any savage who liked to draw a bow. 

But no arrow came flying, and Oliver, whose plan was now grasped, senthis companions aft to the ropes, to stand ready to save themselves whenthe critical moment came. Every man was well armed, and his pockets andwallet crammed with cartridges, and the orders were as soon as they haddropped from the stern to follow Panton as he led them towards theopening in the wood, some hundreds of yards from the spot whence theline of blacks still brought their faggots. 

"For goodness' sake be careful, " cried Panton, turning to where Oliverstood. "You'll act at once, will you not? the heat here is stifling. "

"Directly you get back to your place. Then I shall join you, and Drewand I will form the rear guard. Now, then, off with you, and God helpus. "

Panton reached up to wring his hand, and then, with the mainmastoverhead already beginning to burn, he ran aft. 

There was no time to spare, for the fire was creeping astern withwonderful rapidity, and, after a glance downward at the deck, Oliverlifted the keg and held it carefully balanced upon the top of thesloping plank, whose lower end was now just beginning to burn. For thespace of quite a minute he held it with a fire in front scorching hisbrow, and the sparks rushing overhead on what was now a fierce wind. Then, when he had it perfectly balanced to his satisfaction, he let gowith both hands, and the keg remained stationary for an instant. Thenit began to roll down the plank faster and faster, and ended byliterally bounding off the burning deck as it reached the bottom of theplank and plunging right into the fiery furnace that had been theforecastle. 

Oliver stayed till he saw the keg disappear, and then swung himself downand ran to where his friends were waiting. 

"Over!" cried Panton, and the men dropped from the stern, just as therewas a tremendous roar and a rush of flame; sparks and burning pieces oftimber rose from the forepart of the ship, followed by the burningforemast, which fortunately fell over toward the bows, sending theblacks flying. 

"All here?" said Panton, in a low voice, but no one spoke, and for a fewminutes the darkness seemed intense, as huge clouds of smoke rolled upfrom where the fire had blazed so fiercely. "Then off!" but before theywere far on their way, the flames burst forth again with fury, lightingup the open flat across which they retreated, and a yell arose. 

"Now, steady, " cried Panton. "Double. When I cry halt, we'll turn andgive them a volley. Then another run, loading as we go. You there, Lane?"

"All right. "

They ran till the blacks began to press them, halted, checked the enemywith a volley, ran on loading, and turned again, the evolution being sosuccessful that at last they reached the opening in the forest withoutlosing a man. Here they gave the enemy another volley, reloaded, andnow in single file, led by Panton, entered the dense shades. 

"Where to?" said Oliver to Drew. 

"Safety, I hope, " was the reply. 

"Safety. We have not a scrap of food, only ammunition. Yes, we have, "he cried more cheerily, "stout hearts and plenty of faith. We caneasily keep the enemy at bay, too, along here. "

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE. 

AN END TO DIFFICULTIES. 

Daylight found the little party steadily advancing, but the blacks werein pursuit, and Oliver passed along the line to have a short conferencewith Panton, leaving Drew, Smith, and Wriggs to form the rear guard. 

"Glad to see you, old fellow, " said Panton. "I was afraid I had saidgood-bye when you were left with that powder keg. "

"But I haven't a scratch, only a little burn. What are you going todo?"

"Get to the shore if I can, and try and find and take possession oftheir canoes. "

"Impossible, " said Oliver, decisively. "Look here, we are on the way tothe old crater. Let's get to that natural fort. Once up there andinside the great volcano wall we can easily keep these wretches at bay, and they cannot burn us out there. "

"No, but--"

"We must give them a severe lesson, and beat them off. It is our onlychance. "

"Anything for the best, " said Panton. "Very well, then, I'll turn off, and we'll hold that piece you remember where it was so steep, and--"

"Yes, just where the leopard sprang out. "

"Good, " cried Panton, and he went on at the head of the men, whileOliver halted till Smith and Wriggs came up with Drew. 

"Speak the truth, Tommy, " Wriggs was saying. "Yer can't be hungryenough to eat a black, so don't tell no lies. "

"Where are we for?" said Drew, anxiously. 

"The old crater, to make that a fort. "

"Hooroar, " said Smith, in a low voice. "Splendid. Billy, old chap, that place was just runnin' in my head, as being a good spot for afight. "

"Then the sooner we are there, the better, " said Drew, "for the wretchesare close behind. "

"And going to shoot, " said Oliver, raising his piece, and firing backboth barrels rapidly, the buck shot with which they were chargedbreaking through the leaves and twigs and eliciting a savage yell. 

"He's got it, Billy, " said Smith, "and sarve him right. "

Some little trifle later, after being much harassed, the retreatingparty were offering themselves as prominent marks to the blacks, as theyclimbed up the outer slope of the old crater, but very soon after theybegan to reach shelter, and at last they lined the top of the moulderingwall, while the blacks hesitated to approach, for the deadly powers ofthe whites' guns had become more and more acknowledged. Hence thefugitives were glad to rest a little, and refresh with water from thelake and such scraps of food as they happened to have, though therefreshment was principally black-looking pig-tail tobacco, Smith andWriggs having their pipes and beginning to smoke. 

The hours glided on, and at first every now and then an arrow was shotwith bad aim into the natural fortification, but by degrees these wereless frequent, and at last the only sign made by the enemy was a littlegroup of men armed with club and spear watching them from the bottom ofthe slope. 

"What do they mean to do?" said Oliver. "Starve us out?"

"Seems like it, " said Panton. "Well, it won't take long, unless we canlive on water. Wonder whether there are any fish below here in thelake?"

"If there are, we have no means of catching them, " said Oliver, sadly. "I'm thinking that our only chance is to assume the aggressive now, anddrive them off the island. "

"I'm afraid there would not be many of us left to do the driving, beforewe had finished, " said Panton. 

_Boom! Crash_!

"Ah, if you would erupt in real earnest, and frighten the black ruffiansaway, you would be doing some good, " he continued, as the volcano madeitself evident. 

"Hi, look out!" cried one of the men. "They're coming on again. " For asudden movement was visible in the group below them, and they had hardlyseized their weapons to bring them to bear, when Smith suddenly utteredanother warning shout, as he came back from the edge of the lake towhich he had descended for a drink. 

"All right, we see them, " cried Oliver. 

"No, you don't, sir!" yelled the sailor. "Look! look yonder. "

A chill of despair ran through all as they glanced in the directionpointed out by Smith, for there, coming rapidly round by the edge of thelake, were some fifty of the enemy, who had evidently kept theirattention while a part of their force had managed to penetrate the denseforest, to where they could scale the crater wall nearly on the oppositeside, and then descend to the lake, so as to come and take them in therear. 

"What shall we do, face both ways and fight?" said Panton. 

"Madness!" cried Oliver. "There's hope for us yet. This way. "

He began to descend rapidly, and then led the party along by the side ofthe lake, leaping from stone to stone, till he reached the spot wherethe waters flowed out slowly into the cave. 

"In with you, quickly!" he cried; but some of the men hesitated. "Leadthe way, Smith, and we'll cover you. Quick!"

Smith plunged in, and now his messmates followed, and so hardly werethey pressed that the foremost blacks came bounding up just as Oliverand Panton backed slowly in, keeping their pieces towards the entrance, and firing twice as some of the enemy began to follow. 

These shots and the darkness checked them, and they vented theirdisappointment by howling with rage, and sending arrow after arrowsplintering against the roof or rocky sides, and making the hollows echodismally. 

With a little care, though, sufficient distance was soon placed betweenthe fugitives and their pursuers, while a bend in the passage-likeentrance protected them from the arrows, which were deflected as theystruck the walls, and after a time these ceased, and all waited for thenext development of the attack. 

"They will not dare to come in here, " Drew said; "these people are toosuperstitious to enter such a hole. "

"Not when they have lights, " said Oliver, sadly. "Smith, can you leadthe men farther in? You know the way. Forward. "

It was time, for all at once bright rays flashed from the surface of thelittle river, and shone upon the rocky walls, as with shout and yell theblacks once more came on, and though shot after shot was fired theystill pressed forward, evidently determined to avenge the deaths of somany of their party. 

But the burning wood they bore helped the retreating party, and renderedthe bearers plain objects for the marksmen, while the deafening roar ofechoes after every discharge had its effect, and checked the savagesmore than seeing one or two of their number drop. 

But still they came on, forcing the little party back till the sharpbend was reached, and all passed round into absolute darkness and thefearful roar of the failing waters. 

"They'll never come along here, surely, " said Panton, with his lips tohis companion's ear, as they slowly retreated, backing, hand in hand, and guiding themselves by one passing his foot along the edge of theriver's bank. 

It was a vain hope, for lights soon flashed round, and the greatcavernous place was more and more lit up, the shadowy black figuresdarting here and there, and sending an arrow whenever they fancied theycould see one of the sailors. 

"Our last chance, " shouted Panton, excitedly. "We must stand at bayyonder, on the point, and sell our lives dearly. We'll wait till theycome close up, and then begin sending volleys, half firing while theothers reload. What do you say!"

"That is what I thought, " said Oliver, "but would it be possible to goon?"

"What, past the falls? Impossible. "

"It's that or death, " said Oliver, sternly. --"Yes? What is it?"

"I says, would you like me to show 'em the way now, sir?" yelled Wriggsin his ear, for he had edged up unseen. 

"What, down there, man?" said Oliver, with a shudder, as he looked overinto the darkness. "Impossible. "

"Which it aren't, sir, for I've done it. "

The burning pieces of wood increased in number now, lighting up the hugecavern weirdly, and the blacks were not a hundred yards away, andapproaching cautiously. 

"What do you say, Panton--fight or run that horrible risk and retreat?"

"I'd say fight, " replied Panton, with a shudder, "but we should not beatthem off. They'd never dare to follow here. Let's try it. Wriggs gotthrough, why should not we?"

"Yes, go on, " cried Oliver. "You cannot talk to the men, and it's aswell they do not know the danger. Lead on, Wriggs, and Heaven help usall. "

It was as he said, no one but Smith fully realised what the dangerswere, and though they were staggered by the noise and horrors aroundthem, the men knew that there was a way through, and, following theircomrade's example, they lowered themselves down over the edge of therock and dropped, the stream seeming less repellent than the ferociousenemy. 

One by one they dropped down, disappearing directly as if suddenlysnatched away, till only Smith was left with the three friends, and hisaction was suggestive, for he held out his hand to each in turn, shookthat placed within it, and then, grasping his gun, lowered himself overthe edge. 

The blacks were very near as Drew followed the man's example, and thenPanton shook hands with Oliver. 

"Good-bye, or _au revoir_, " he cried, and turning, he jumped boldlyforward into the darkness. 

A loud yell arose now, for the lights showed Oliver standing on thebrink, and, lowering their spears, a dozen savages rushed at him, but hestepped off the rock edge, descended quickly for some distance, and thenplunged into the rushing water, which seemed to rise at him, seize him, and bear him along at a rapidly increasing rate, but with his head abovethe surface, and the echoing roar of falling waters striking his earswith stunning violence. Then he felt himself suddenly shot out as itwere into space, suffocated by the rushing torrent, which poured downupon him, and faint, bewildered, and exhausted, whirled round, andbeaten down here and there. At last his face was above the surface, andhe was being borne rapidly along a shallow stream, just as Wriggs haddescribed, with its smooth, glassy bottom. 

Hope sprang up within his breast once more, for he could breathe againat such times as he could get his head above the rapids; what was more, he could fight for his life against an enemy more merciful than thecascade over which he had been dashed. 

But it was a terrible struggle for breath in the darkness of the vasttunnel through which he was being hurried, and though from time to timehe touched smooth, water-worn rock, he could get no hold. 

At length, after how long he could not tell, he became conscious thatthe now swift, smooth stream was growing shallower, and recalling thesailor's words, after many efforts he managed to gain and retain hisfeet, wading onward, and sufficiently recovered to listen for the soundof pursuit, of which there was none. 

The noise, too, was dying out. There was a deep, murmuring roar, andthe low, whispering rush, but that was all. 

And now the confusion in Oliver's brain seemed to clear off. Hisefforts to preserve life so far had been instinctive; from this momentthere was more method. He began as he groped along to make use of thegun to which he still clung, as a staff, but he had not taken many stepsonward in the way the water pressed and which he knew must be towarddaylight when self was forgotten, and the thought of his comrades madehim feel ready to sink helplessly once more and let the stream carry himwhere it would. 

Panton--Drew--the two rough sailors who had been such faithfulcompanions--the rest of the crew? Was he the only survivor?

"Ahoy-y-y-y-y!"

A long-drawn, hollow, echoing hail came from a distance out of thedarkness, and it was repeated again and again, before he could commandhimself and reply. For his throat seemed to be contracted--relief--joy--gratitude to Heaven, combined to make him, in his weak exhaustedstate, hysterical, and his answering shout was feeble in the extreme. 

But it was heard, and another hail came, which he answered with morevigour, and the knowledge that help was not far away nerved him to freshefforts. These were encouraged by hail after hail, hoarse, hollow, andterrible, as they were repeated, till all at once a voice sent a thrillof delight through him, for he recognised it, and its words, --

"Where are you, sir? This way. "

"Here! Who is it?" cried Oliver, hoarsely. "Smith?"

"Ay, ay, sir! Both on us. Me and Billy Wriggs. Hah! I got yer. Three cheers, Billy, and give it throat. Why, we began to think you wasnabbed by the niggers or else drown dead. "

"Success to yer, sir, " came in a hoarse voice. "Wait till we gets himout, Tommy, and then we'll cheer, ho!"

"Mr Panton--Mr Drew--the others?" cried Oliver, as he clung to the manwho had grasped him by the arms. 

"Oh, they're all right, sir. "

"Nay, nay, speak the truth, Tommy, " growled Wriggs, whose hoarse voicesounded awful in the black echoing darkness. 

"Don't you be so nation tickler, Billy, " cried the other angrily. "Well, they aren't quite all right, being as you may say regular washedout, but they've all alive 'o!"

"Far as we knows, sir, " interposed Wriggs. "But you step forrard, sir, and lets get out o' this here waterworks' pipe. "

"Is--is it far to the light?" asked Oliver. 

"Not it, sir. Clost here. "

"Speak the truth, Tommy, speak the truth, " growled Wriggs. 

"You won't be happy, Billy, till I gives you one on the nose. Well, sir, it aren't so werry far, an' fore long you'll be able to see thelight a shinin' in, where Billy here stood up to his knees a ketchin' onus all as we come down stream, and settin' on us all in a row, on a bitof a shelf to dry a bit, 'fore we went any furder. "

"You helped, Tommy. "

"Well, yes, soon as I'd let about two barrels o' water run out o' me. "

"Speak the truth, Tommy. "

"Oh, well, one barrel, then, " cried Smith, angrily. "I'll say half apannikin, if you like. Yes, sir, I helped a bit, and counted us as wewas ketched, and then as you didn't come, Billy and me come arter yerand here yer are. "

"Which is the truth, Tommy, lad, so stick to that. "

They journeyed on till there was a faint dawn of light on ahead, whichgrew lighter and lighter as they waded forward, till the water, lava andpumice of the arched-over roof became visible. Then there was a hailwhich was answered, and at last in the twilight the figures of theircomrades could be seen seated on the lava edge of the subterraneanriver, one standing in the middle, evidently gazing anxiously toward theinner portions of the cavern. 

In all thankfulness hands were grasped, and then the party waded on, wash, wash with the rapid stream, now not knee deep. The light grewstronger and stronger, till at last there was a bright flash along thesmooth water, a sharp bend was turned, and some hundred yards beforethem there was a low arch laced with ferns, opening out upon blue waterand sunshine. 

This was approached in silence and with great caution, fresh cartridgeswere placed in the well-drained guns, though doubts were felt as totheir being of any use, if the savages knew of the exit of the waters, and were lying in wait. 

But all was still, and as they crept on with Panton and Drew now takingthe lead, and all feeling as if light were the great reviver of all, theopening was approached, and they stepped out into the daylight where thelittle river ran on along its narrow path in the jungle--a path theyfollowed for a time, the growth being too dense on either side for thedry land to be sought. 

Then all at once Panton halted, and held up his hand for silence. 

There was no need, for they had heard voices from somewhere forward, andin despair they stood gazing out at the sunlit lagoon, feeling that amore desperate fight than ever was before them now when they wereutterly exhausted, and their ammunition probably spoiled. 

"Ah! Thank Heaven!" cried Oliver, springing forward through the waterwith all his weakness gone, and now the men cheered frantically. Forthere in front gliding into sight, and not a hundred yards away, was thelugger with two men visible, and these heard and returned the cheer. 

As in Oliver's case every one forgot his weakness and exhaustion, in hisefforts to wade out toward the lugger which was steered to meet themthrough the warm sunny water, and they climbed on board. 

"Where's Mr Rimmer?" was Oliver's first question. 

"Just close handy somewhere, " was the reply. "He landed an hour ago, sir, to try and find some way through the forest, so that we could comeacross to-night and get to you at the brig. "

"Ahoy! Look yonder!" cried Panton, and he waved his hand to a figure ona point about a mile along the lagoon, signalling with his hat at theend of a bamboo. 

The helm was put down, and the lugger glided softly over the smoothwater between the thickly wooded shore and the surf-beaten reef, towhere Mr Rimmer waded out to meet them. 

"You see, he had not forsaken us, " said Oliver, in a whisper to hisfriends. 

"Ah, at last, " cried the mate, springing on board, and eagerly graspingthe young men's hands. "I was getting in despair about you. "

"And we about you, " said Oliver. "I thought you had left us in thelurch. "

"Just what I should do, " said the mate, grimly. "How was I to come toyour help with a pocket knife and a marlin-spike? Those were all thearms we had. "

"What?" cried Oliver. "Where were the guns that Smith brought?"

"Never brote none, sir, " cried Smith. "Didn't I tell yer the niggerscut me off, when you found me with my toes a-sticking out of thebamboos?"

No other explanation was needed, for the mate soon told them how he hadsailed round the island, and been trying again and again to communicate. The next question was, what was to be done?

That was soon decided. The brig was by that time a heap of ashes, andit was madness to think of attacking and punishing the savages; so aftera hearty meal, and some rest, the lugger was anchored for the night inthe sheltered waters of the lagoon, prior to an early start next morningfor one or other of the isles to the east. 

But they were not destined to rest in peace. Soon after midnight, thewater began to be disturbed, the mountain burst into a frightful stateof eruption, and the sea rose and fell so that there was every prospectof their being cast on the island, high and dry once more. 

There was plenty of light for the evolutions, so hoisting sails whichlooked orange in the glow, they ran for the first opening they couldfind in the reef, passed through in safety, and stood out to sea, wherethey lay to a few miles away, watching the awfully grand display offire, rising fountain-like from the volcano, down whose sides golden andblood-red water seemed to be running in streams. 

All that night the lugger rocked with the terrible concussions, succeeding each other without half a minute's interval, and when the sunrose the glasses showed a great smoke rising from a desolate-lookingshore, at one end of which the mountain, about half its former height, was pouring forth clouds of ashes and covering the sea thickly as far aseye could reach. 

The glorious groves and bright scenery were gone, destroyed in a fewhours, and the strange convulsions which kept on occurring, rendered itnecessary to run as rapidly as could be for safer waters and brighterskies. 

As the day went on an island was reached, and an addition made to theirprovisions and water. A few days later they were at the British port inNew Guinea, where they once more provisioned for their run south to getwithin the shelter of the Great Barrier Reef. 

Brisbane was made, and then Sydney, from which port a passage was takenfor home, where all arrived in safety with the grandest set of NaturalHistory specimens ever collected in one voyage. 

"I do wonder what became of those blacks, " said Panton, one evening whenthey were dining with Captain Rimmer, to celebrate his appointment to afine vessel in the China trade, in which he was to start the followingweek, and in which he had laughingly offered them a cabin for three. 

"Nothing would please me better, " he had said, "and you will find yourold friends Smith and Wriggs with me as boatswain and his mate. "

But appointments at scientific institutions kept the three friends athome, and it was in the course of conversation that Panton alluded tothe blacks. 

"Ah, and I wonder what became of all those wondrous butterflies andbirds?"

"And the wealth of vegetation?" said Drew. 

"Swept away, sir, " said the captain, "swept away. Strange things takeplace where there are burning mountains. "

"But out of the ruins fresh natural glories grow, " said Panton. 

"Yes, " said Oliver, "and I suppose all things are for the best. But Ishould have liked to go with you, Captain Rimmer, to see Fire Islandonce again. "

THE END.