here
was a possibility that the fugitives were there, though it was slight.
Many places afforded a landing, where they might have found temporary
shelter, but nothing was seen of the boat, and Haffgo ordered the
oarsmen to pass through the tunnel leading to the underground lake.

This was speedily effected, and the large boat debouched into the
wonderful body of water, so brilliantly illuminated by the glare from
the burning mountain on the western side.

Instinctively every eye was cast in that direction, but nothing
rewarded the scrutiny. Then the vision swept along the shores, every
portion of which, as will be remembered, was in plain view.

Almost at the same moment; Ziffak uttered an excited exclamation, and
pointed to the northern shore. As the gaze of every one was directed
thither, they caught sight of the craft for which they were so eagerly
hunting.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

WATCHING AND WAITING.

When Professor Ernest Grimcke realized that his desperate flight from
the besieged building had been attended with complete success, and that
he was standing among the dense shadows of the forest, with no enemy
near, he devoutly uncovered his head, and, looking upward, uttered his
fervent thanks to heaven for its amazing mercy.

"If ever a man was snatched from the jaws of death," he said, "I am
that man."

"And I am another," added Jared Long, who approached in the gloom. "It
seems to me like a veritable miracle."

The New Englander explained that, after his furious dash for shelter
from the building, he did not believe his chances were any better than
those of the man he left behind him. He started, with the intention of
making his way by a circuitous course to the river, but had not gone
far when he was struck by the baseness of his desertion of his friend.
He, therefore, turned about with the resolve to try to do something for
him, but had no more than caught sight of the structure again when he
descried the Professor coming like a whirlwind for the trees.

Long moved to the point at which he saw he was aiming, and held his
Winchester ready to open on any pursuers that might try to follow him.
He would have picked off a dozen or so, for he was cool and collected,
and fully determined to stand by his friend to the death.

Fortunately, however, for all parties concerned, none of the Murhapas
pursued the Professor, though, as has been told, a number under the
leadership of Ziffak dashed off in anothe