“It looks like it,” said Mr. Bruce.
“If it is,” said Mr. Graham, “it will but hasten the coming eruption.”
“The eruption is not far off, anyway,” said Mr. Bruce, “for the lava is already near the surface, as was shown by its running through the crack of the tunnel to-day.”
“This alone will be well worth the trip,” said Mr. Graham; “but we must be well out of the way before it takes place.”
“I think we will be safe at the villa,” said Mr. Bruce.
As he ceased speaking, the earth trembled beneath their feet, and, looking at the volcano, they saw a huge mass of red-hot cinders and smoke shoot high in the air.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS.
The rumbling was heard fully five minutes before the shock came, and our friends had stopped when it had first reached their ears, wondering what could make such a noise. It was all explained, however, when the earth trembled beneath them, nearly throwing them from their feet. Thoughts of the volcano immediately rushed into their minds, and they turned just in time to see a great mass of stone, rock and molten lava mixed with steam and smoke, shoot into the air. It rose to a height of nearly a thousand feet above the mountain, and then fell back into the yawning abyss from which it sprang. Then came another shock and another discharge of rock and ashes, and another and another in such rapid succession that our friends were afraid to move for fear of being thrown flat on the ground.
The air was black with ashes, and smoke, and dust, and a vapor seemed to be rising from the ground, which, with the rest, nearly suffocated them. From where our friends now were, they could not see the crevice in the cliff, but they could see the summit of the mountains, and saw huge rocks tumbling from the top and rolling over the edge, being lost to view in the thick atmosphere as they descended.
“We must get out of this,” said Mr. Bruce, “for that volcano may belch forth a stream of lava which will take but a few moments to reach us.”