Silently the two boys looked out over the dark sea, and Rick wished for a moment that he could see the view by daylight.
"Let's check the crater," Scotty suggested. He drew his flashlight, then inched forward across the rubble of the rim. Rick stayed beside him.
"Any danger of the beam being seen?" Scotty asked softly.
"No. The angle is wrong. If you keep it directed toward the crater, it will be invisible from the sea."
Rick watched as Scotty switched the light on. The pencil of light swept downward, and finally lost itself in nothingness.
The two boys stared at each other.
"The whole island's hollow!" Rick breathed. "I'll say this thing has a crater!"
"Plenty deep," Scotty agreed. "Well, that tears it. Nothing to do but go around. You lead the way."
Rick felt his way down until at last he was standing on the shoulder of the ancient volcano just below the final sweep upward to the crest. In a moment Scotty joined him. Slowly and carefully they started the long journey around, taking the southern slope as previously agreed.
It was hard going. In spots the lava was crumbly and gave under foot or hand. In others it was dense as steel slag.