an 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 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, 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!"

"Al