Fire Island Part 36

"We must get back before dark," he said. "Those chasms have to be pa.s.sed. What do you say, shall we go now?"

His proposal was agreed to at once, and they turned to have a good look round. Above them towered the truncated cone looking precisely as it did from the place where they had started that morning, and, while Oliver adjusted his gla.s.s, Panton took out a pocket-compa.s.s, and Drew, a watch-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? and sea, sea, sea, everywhere, nothing but sea in this direction."

"We are looking due north," said Panton, as the needle of his compa.s.s grew 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 the northern side now we must be able to see it at this height. How high are we, Drew?"

"Just over four thousand feet, and I should say the mountain goes up quite two thousand more, but it is very deceiving. Then we are upon an island?"

"Hurrah!" cried Panton.

"I don't see where the hurrah comes in," said Oliver, quietly, "but I'm glad that our journey has not been without some result."

"I should have liked to get to the top though," said Panton, looking upward wistfully.

"I say, you two," said Drew, "we were to give a good look round for the n.i.g.g.e.rs."

"I've been doing so," said Oliver, whose eyes were still at his gla.s.s, "and there isn't a sign of a hut, boat, or savage. Nothing but a barrier reef shutting in a beautiful lagoon, and the cocoa-nut palms fringing its edge."

"What about the lower slopes?" asked Drew.

"Dense forest for the most part, cut through every here and there by what looks like old lava streams, which reach the lagoon, and form cliffs."

"Then this side of the island is better wooded than the other?"

"Evidently, and there are two little streams running down from the dark chaos of rock, that look to me different from the rest of the mountain.

You have a look, Panton."

The latter took the gla.s.s and stood sweeping the mountain slope for some minutes, during which Smith and Wriggs sat down, and lit their pipes for a restful smoke.

"All plain enough, as far as I can judge, my lads. That dark part in the most wooded district is an old volcano, and this that we are on seems to be quite new and active. I should say this island has been quiescent for hundreds of years before it burst out into eruption, and sent 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, I daresay we shall be able to slide part of the way."

"No," cried Oliver, emphatically, "it must be fair walking. If we start a slide of ashes and cinders, how are we to stop when we come near one of the creva.s.ses?"

"Or to avoid being buried?" said Drew, "Steady work is the thing."

He had hardly spoken these words when, as if resenting their presence, a roar like thunder came from the crater, and a huge cloud shot up into the clear sky, to curve over like a tree, and as they turned and fled once more, a rain of ashes commenced falling. The darkness of which they had had so terrible an experience, threatened to shut them in high up on that mountain slope, while at any moment in their retreat they were liable to come upon one of the openings that ran deep down into the volcano's fiery core.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

AN INTERESTING FAILURE.

One of the rifts was crossed in the dim twilight, another was avoided by making a circuit, and another by walking along its edge till it narrowed sufficiently for them to spring across, and after one of these bold leaps, Smith, who bore the ladder, said to Wriggs,--

"Feel 'sposed to take to a noo line o' life, messmate, if we ever gets back 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 standing over nothing with yer eyes shut. Feel a tug, Billy, when we jumped that last bit?"

"Tug? No. I on'y felt as if I was a bit a' iron, and there was a big loadstone 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 here for 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 of cinder fell close to him. "Didn't touch me."

"Miss is as good as a mile, mate, eh? But don't it seem as if someone up 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 the awkwardest 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.