y?"

"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 being
wicked 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 them
feathers."

"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," he
continued, 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 of
vapour hung over a basin of beautifully blue water, enclosed by a fine
drab-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, while
at 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 the
most 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 a
little case from his pocket, and from it a glass tube with a mercury
bulb.

"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 young
man plunged the mercury bulb in the water, and held it there for a few
moments, 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 it
to display a neatly fitting cake of soap.

"Look at him," whispered Smith to his companion--"ay, tools for
everything. Thank-ye, sir," he added as he took the soap, stepped down
close to the edge of the basin, and plunged in his hands, to withdraw
them 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 volcanic
water?"

"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