uation like this?"

Hartson Brant shrugged. "I don't know. At least we can keep track of the
magma."

David Riddle, the geologist, added, "It will allow time to warn the
population. I can see no other means of saving them except to get them
off the island."

Rick had reached the same conclusion. It didn't take a scientist to
realize the gravity of the situation. El Viejo was getting ready for
something big, unless the magma subsided. Since no one was really sure
about the physics of volcanology, no one had a good guess why the
volcanic action had begun again. No one could be sure it would not
decrease, either.

"This picture is pretty rough," Dr. Williams said. "I'll refine it a
little after dinner, Hartson. It will give us a better basis for
plotting tomorrow's results."

"Good idea," Hartson Brant agreed. "And speaking of dinner, it's about
time. Let's wash up and meet in the dining room in a half hour."

"Better call Brad Connel," Zircon said. "I know how upset he must be,
but it will be better if he joins us and eats something."

Rick and Scotty returned to their room and washed for dinner. Both were
quiet. The appearance of the magma under them, almost like a mushroom
cloud in shape, was pretty ominous. Like sitting on a volcano, Rick
thought. It was the most appropriate expression he could think of. No
wonder the earth had split.

Scotty mused aloud. "Rock. Melting like butter on a stove. Thousands of
tons of it. Makes you appreciate natural forces, doesn't it?"

"Even hydrogen bombs are pretty feeble by comparison," Rick agreed. "It
makes me uneasy to think of all that stuff boiling up under us."

"I caught myself looking down a couple of times," Scotty said with a
grin. "I wouldn't be surprised to see steam coming up through the rug."

Rick consulted his watch. "Maybe food will make us feel better. Come on.
It's about time."

The scientific party was alone in the hotel, except for a reduced staff.
The governor had made arrangements for the hotel to operate so that the
visitors could have service. Rick almost wished they had stayed at a
beach hotel with other people around them. The huge resort was like an
abandoned city, with a few ghosts left in it.

They walked through the conference room on their way into dinner and
found Connel looking over the sketch Williams had made. He looked up as
they entered and greeted them casually.

"Hello, Rick, Scotty. I see we do have magma below us."

"That's