“They were up at St. Pierre three days before the great eruption,” said the dyewoods exporter, who could speak good English. “They told me that they were going to make a journey overland to Basse Pointe, on the north coast. Whether they started before St. Pierre fell, or whether they were caught on the way, I cannot tell.”
This conversation filled Mark and Frank with renewed hope that their parents might have escaped, and they talked the matter over with Professor Strong and Sam and Darry.
“Basse Pointe is a small town lying almost directly north of Mont Pelee,” said the professor. “It is just as close to the volcano as St. Pierre and has suffered a good deal, so they say, although not as much as the city.”
“But couldn’t we go up there in some kind of a boat, or overland?” questioned Mark, eagerly. “Perhaps my father and Frank’s are up there?”
The professor said he would make inquiries, and set about doing so without delay. He could find no boat running to Basse Pointe, but there was a native craft about to sail for St. Marie, a village about ten miles below the point they wished to gain.
“Then I’m going to St. Marie and travel overland to Basse Pointe,” said Mark, and Frank said the same.
“And I’ll go with you,” put in Sam.
“Ditto myself,” chimed in Darry. “I want to see something of this volcanic eruption before I leave Martinique.”
“Well, you fellows can go,” came from Hockley. “But you won’t budge me. If there comes another downpour of lava, rocks and mud you’ll all be killed.”
Darry was about to say something about a coward, when Mark stopped him. “We don’t want Hockley anyway,” he whispered. “And it is just as dangerous as he says.”