tumbling down a well like that there, and then being
shot up again like a pellet out of a pop-gun aren't getting it hot, I
should like to know what is?"

"I mean was the water very hot?" said the major, as the men, now that
there was no danger, began to grin.

"'Bout as hot as I likes it, sir; just tidy," replied Billy.

"But what did it feel like?" said Mark; "I mean falling down there."

"Oh, there warn't no time to feel, Mr Mark, sir. I went down so
quickly."

"Well, what did it seem like?" said Mark.

"Don't know, sir. I was in such a hurry," said Billy.

There was a laugh at this, in which Billy joined.

"You can't give us any description, then?" said the captain smiling.

"No, sir. I only found out one thing--I didn't seem to be wanted down
there, being in the way, as you may say, and likely to stop the pipes.
And now, Mr Small, sir, I'd take it kindly if you'd come in the wood
there with me and lend a hand while I wring all the wet I can out o' my
things, as'll make 'em dry more handy."

The boatswain nodded, and the pair went in among the trees, leaving the
others discussing the narrow escapes and sending a stone or two down,
and then a great dead dry stump of a tree-fern, all of which were shot
up again, the stones after an interval, the fern stump, which was as
long as Billy Widgeon and thicker round, coming up again directly.

"Why, major," said the captain at last, "if you had told me all this
some day after dinner back in England, I'm afraid I shouldn't have
believed you."

"I'm sure I should not have believed you," said the major laughing. "It
sounds like a sea-serpent story, and I don't think I shall ever venture
to tell it unless I can produce the man."

At that moment Billy came back out of the jungle, looking very
ill-tempered, and his first act as the fount played again, was to go
close to the edge of the basin and try the temperature of the water.

"Just tidy," he said, as they descended from the level shelf where the
geysers were clustered, and along by the little gurgling rocky stream
which carried off their overflowings before reaching the slope of the
mountain, and beginning to climb with fresh and unexpected wonders on
every hand.

It was nervous work, for as they climbed the earth trembled beneath
their feet; low, muttering, thunderous sounds could be heard, while here
and there from crevices puffs of sulphurous, throat-stinging vapour
escaped.

Then a bubbling hot sprin