“To be sure he did.”
“And Tommy Smith stopped too, sir?”
“Yes, to keep him company, though we thought once we’d lost him too.”
“Much ado about nothing,” said the mate drily. “You gentlemen lead me a pretty dance. What’s the next thing, Mr Panton—do you want to go down the crater of the volcano?”
“Yes, if it is possible,” replied the young man, so seriously that there was a general laugh, and soon after Wriggs was left to finish his sleep, while Panton retired to the cabin to number and make notes about a few of the crystals which he had brought back in his pockets, but thinking of how that cavern might be turned to use.
Chapter Forty Five.
Smith has a “Sentiment.”
Mr Rimmer gave way, and a few days after an expedition was made to try once more to mount right up to the mouth of the crater. Taking advantage of what had been learned in former expeditions, the little party followed their last plan, rowed beyond the poisonous mist, landed, and after securing the boat as before, they made for the old camp, reached it and spent a delightful evening watching the faint glow upon the cloud which hovered over the mouth of the crater, and then gazed at the scintillating fire-flies, which upon this occasion made the low growth at the edge of the forest below them alive with sparkling lights.