Prof. Easy, Haypole and Jones concluded to make an effort to find a way to get below on a level with the Devil’s Kingdom.
They set out very early one morning, taking the passage that led to the brink of the latter-named place.
When they arrived there they began carefully studying their surroundings, to find a means of descent.
They had scarcely been there ten minutes when a low rumble was heard, coming, it seemed, from beneath them.
“An earthquake!” exclaimed the professor.
The words had hardly left his lips when all three were thrown upon the ground by a tremendous shock, which lasted nearly half a minute.
When they rose to their feet, a few moments later, in a half-dazed condition, a startling sight met their gaze.
The light, which had hitherto been quite bright, was now very dim, and flashed forth in fitful bursts.
But it was enough to enable them to see that a huge pile of rocks had been scattered about, showing a clear passage to the country below.
“If there are no further shocks,” remarked the professor, calmly, “this will prove a Godsend to us. It has shown us what we have been [looking for for so long].”