black depths of
the cavern.

"It was not dreadful when I first saw it, Winnie, with rich verdure
everywhere; and inside you will find it surprisingly comfortable. But we
must not enter until your father arrives to do the honours of the place
himself."

They had not to wait long. First Moses arrived, and, shrewdly suspecting
from the appearance of the young couple that they were engaged in
conversation that would not brook interruption, or, perhaps, judging
from what might be his own wishes in similar circumstances, he turned
his back suddenly on them, and, stooping down, addressed himself to an
imaginary creature of the animal kingdom.

"What a bootiful bufferfly you is, to be sure! up on sitch a place too,
wid nuffin' to eat 'cept Krakatoa dust. I wonder what your moder would
say if she know'd you was here. You should be ashamed ob yourself!"

"Hallo! Moses, what are you talking to over there?"

"Nuffin', Massa Nadgel. I was on'y habin' a brief conv'sation wid a
member ob de insect wurld in commemoration ob de purfesser. Leastwise,
if it warn't a insect it must hab bin suffm' else. Won't you go in, Miss
Winnie?"

"No, I'd rather wait for father," returned the girl, looking a little
flushed, for some strange and totally unfamiliar ideas had recently
floated into her brain and caused some incomprehensible flutterings of
the heart to which hitherto she had been a stranger.

Mindful of his father's injunctions, however, Nigel had been
particularly careful to avoid increasing these flutterings.

In a few minutes the hermit came up. "Ah! Winnie," he said, "there has
been dire devastation here. Perhaps inside things may look better. Come,
take my hand and don't be afraid. The floor is level and your eyes will
soon get accustomed to the dim light."

"I's afeared, massa," remarked Moses, as they entered the cavern, "dat
your sun-lights won't be wu'th much now."

"You are right, lad. Go on before us and light the lamps if they are not
broken."

It was found, as they had expected, that, the only light which
penetrated the cavern was that which entered by the cave's mouth, which
of course was very feeble.

Presently, to Winnie's surprise, Moses was seen issuing from the kitchen
with a petroleum lamp in one hand, the brilliant light of which not only
glittered on his expressive black visage but sent a ruddy glare all over
the cavern.

Van der Kemp seemed to watch his daughter intently as she gazed in a
bewildered