thing to do but smoke, and to chew my cud, which was
bitter. There could be no doubt, however I may have saved my face,
that command had been taken from me by that rascal, Handy Solomon.
I was in two minds as to whether or not I should attempt to warn Darrow
or the doctor. Yet what could I say? and against whom should I warn
them? The men had grumbled, as men always do grumble in idleness, and
had perhaps talked a little wildly; but that was nothing.

The only indisputable fact I could adduce was that I had allowed my
authority to slip through my fingers. And adequately to excuse that,
I should have to confess that I was a writer and no handler of men.

I abandoned the unpleasant train of thought with a snort of disgust,
but it had led me to another. In the joy and uncertainty of living
I had practically lost sight of the reason for my coming. With me it
had always been more the adventure than the story; my writing was a
by-product, a utilisation of what life offered me. I had set sail
possessed by the sole idea of ferreting out Dr. Schermerhorn's
investigations, but the gradual development of affairs had ended by
absorbing my every faculty. Now, cast into an eddy by my change of
fortunes, the original idea regained its force. I was out of the
active government of affairs, with leisure on my hands, and my
thoughts naturally turned with curiosity again to the laboratory in
the valley.

Darrow's "devil fires" were again painting the sky. I had noticed them
from time to time, always with increasing wonder. The men accepted
them easily as only one of the unexplained phenomena of a sailor's
experience, but I had not as yet hit on a hypothesis that suited me.
They were not allied to the aurora; they differed radically from the
ordinary volcanic emanations; and scarcely resembled any electrical
displays I had ever seen. The night was cool; the stars bright: I
resolved to investigate.

Without further delay I arose to my feet and set off into the
darkness. Immediately one of the group detached himself from the fire
and joined me.

"Going for a little walk, sir?" asked Handy Solomon sweetly. "That's
quite right and proper. Nothin' like a little walk to get you fit and
right for your bunk."

He held close to my elbow. We got just as far as the stockade in the
bed of the arroyo. The lights we could make out now across the zenith;
but owing to the precipitance of the cliffs, and the rise of the
arroyo bed, it was impossible