“Just as soon as possible,” said Mr. Bruce, “but the sooner you do it the less chance there will be for invasion.”
“It shall be done,” answered Onrai.
The party, after the meal, stood up in groups and it was but natural that Enola and Onrai should be together. They walked to a point well up toward the cliff, and seating themselves on a large rock, Onrai again told Enola of his great love and of his intention of making her his wife on the Day of Resis. But when she asked him why he had chosen the Day of Resis for their wedding day, he made her no answer.
Onrai sent messengers throughout the country and to the city, for men to build this wall across the crevice. He sent for all of the available men in On, ordering all other branches of work to stop for the time being.
“It will take a considerable body of men to do the work,” said Mr. Bruce. “But more than a wall must be constructed. The crevice at the face of the cliff must be at least three thousand feet deep, and this has to be filled for considerable distance to get a safe foundation for the wall. It will take many men and most of them will have to work from the crater of the volcano, casting large rocks into the crevice from the first, until it is filled up as high as the shelf or footpath, from which point I think it would be well to commence the solid masonry.”
“But if this work goes on and is finished before we leave, chances are against us ever again reaching civilization,” said Mr. Graham.
“That is true,” replied Mr. Bruce, “for we have seen enough of the rock-bound country to know that the cliffs cannot be scaled. It would be an utter impossibility to get out by that way, and we would have to resort to a balloon.”
“You have suggested a way which is always available,” said Mr. Graham. “The silk of this country is especially adapted to this purpose, I should say, and the other materials can be had easy enough. And these people could raise no objections to our building such a conveyance, even if they objected to our leaving them, and we would be up and away before they could possibly know what we were about. So we need not worry about the means of escape.”
“The volcano is throwing off more rock and ashes than ever, to-day,” said Mr. Bruce, as he glanced up at the ominous cloud of smoke.
“Yes, and there seems to be a new element this morning,” said Mr. Graham. “Look at that white vapor. Would you not say that that was steam?”