nto the depths. Ugh, the whole thing makes me shudder."

He was right: they all knew nothing more could be done, and they tramped
back over the smooth lava stream.

"And I feel to blame for it all," said Panton, as he walked between his
friends. "Who could have foretold that such a terrible calamity would
happen to us? It is too horrible to bear."

At last there was a faint gleam of light upon the water, followed by a
flash, and then the lanterns were extinguished, for the blaze of
sunshine could be seen playing upon the lake and the Gothic archway of
the cavern's mouth fringed with creepers and ferns, while like some
curious silhouette, there for a few moments upon one of the rocks just
level with the water, those which had served for stepping-stones, was
the figure of a large graceful leopard as it stood gazing into the
cavern, but turned and bounded away directly.

The light was hardly bearable for a few minutes, as the party issued out
to climb the walls of the ancient crater, and then descend on the other
side, but eyes soon grew accustomed to the change, and Smith uttered a
deep sigh full of mournfulness.

"I never see nothing look so beautiful before," he said to Oliver, "but
oh, 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, and
as they parted on the deck Smith turned to Oliver.

"I'm a-goin' down to have a good heavy wash, sir, 'fore I has any
breakfast, and then I don't think as I shall eat any, for it's hard
lines to ha' lost one's mate."

"Hard indeed, Smith," said Oliver, sympathetically. "Poor fellow! but I
think we did all we could."

"Heverythink, sir, I say," replied the man, who then went slowly below
into the forecastle and rushed out again, looking horrified, scared, and
yelling loudly.

"Hallo!" cried Mr Rimmer, running forward. "What's the matter now?"

Smith could not speak, but stood with his lips quivering and his eyes
round 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, and
the first uttered a cry of astonishment as