."

"No, don't--that is--not yet," said Oliver, excitedly. "No place that
you 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 I
am. You mean to begin looking for your bits of stone and butterflies
then, here?"

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

"Oh, yes," said the mate drily; "and you'll always be able to find the
brig. She won't stir just yet, and there's no need to lower down an
anchor. 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 are
standing, and do our duty by our poor dead friend."

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

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

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

But somehow these things ceased to trouble