in? Over
the lake we know you did not come, for we have watched day and night;
moreover there is no canoe upon the shore. Also it would not have been
possible."

"Why not?" I asked idly.

"Come and see," he answered.

Rising stiffly we emerged from beneath the tree and perceived that we
were at the foot of the cliff against which the remains of the yacht had
been borne by the great tempest. Indeed there it was within a couple of
hundred yards of us.

Following Marama we climbed the sloping path which ran up the cliff
and ascended a knoll whence we could see the lake and the cone of the
volcano in its centre. At least we used to be able to see this cone, but
now, at any rate with the naked eye, we could make out nothing, except a
small brown spot in the midst of the waters of the lake.

"The mountain which rose up many feet in that storm which brought you to
Orofena, Friend-from-the-Sea, has now sunk till only the very top of it
is to be seen," said Marama solemnly. "Even the Rock of Offerings has
vanished beneath the water, and with it the house that we built for
you."

"Yes," I said, affecting no surprise. "But when did that happen?"

"Five nights ago the world shook, Friend-from-the-Sea, and when the sun
rose we saw that the mouth of the cave which appeared on the day of your
coming, had vanished, and that the holy mountain itself had sunk deep,
so that now only the crest of it is left above the water."

"Such things happen," I replied carelessly.

"Yes, Friend-from-the-Sea. Like many other marvels they happen where you
and your companions are. Therefore we beg you who can arise out of the
earth like spirits, to leave us at once before our island and all of us
who dwell thereon are drowned beneath the ocean. Leave us before we kill
you, if indeed you be men, or die at your hands if, as we think, you be
evil spirits who can throw up mountains and drag them down, and create
gods that slay, and move about in the bowels of the world."

"That is our intention, for our business here is done," I answered
calmly. "Come now and help us to depart. But first bring us food. Bring
it in plenty, for we must victual our boat."

Marama bowed and issued the necessary orders. Indeed food sufficient for
our immediate needs was already there as an offering, and of it we ate
with thankfulness.

Then we boarded the ship and examined the lifeboat. Thanks to our
precautions it was still in very fair order and only needed some