Lo! what a change. The sun was all but down, and sea and sky had changed to orange, deep and charming. The very snow was orange.
But judge of their disappointment when they entered the first cave and found that all was pitch dark.
CHAPTER III
THE BEAUTY AND MARVELS OF AN ICE-CAVE
“Oh, what a shame!” cried Walt, impatiently. “We did expect to see something real splendid.”
Ingomar laughed.
“You are snow-blind, boys, just for the moment. If you’d come when I told you, when the sun was still above the horizon, you would have had a daylight view.
“The sun can’t be expected to stay for you. He has to rise and shine on other seas, if not on other lands.”
But when their eyes became more accustomed to the twilight, they could see that they were in a vast vaulted cave, solid ice and snow beneath them, and strange uncanny shapes sparkling in the semi-darkness beyond.
Three men had accompanied Ingomar and the boys, and one was carrying a bag.
“Be cautious how you move, lads, else one of you may go through into the sea, and never be seen again.”