“You are right,” agreed Frank. “It must be that the mist transfers the sound to different points of the compass.”
“Begorra, we kin go no furder dis way, anyhow!” cried Barney, who was a little in advance.
“How is that?” asked Frank.
“Shure, sor, there’s a steep place here, and a big hole. Will yez have a look at it?”
Frank and Randall ran forward. At their feet yawned a deep abyss.
It was the crater.
They had climbed the cone to the very summit. There was little wonder that the sounds of firing had grown so faint.
CHAPTER XI.
A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.
Frank now began to make more accurate calculations as to their exact position.
The result was that the party was soon scrambling down the mountain side and rapidly approaching the Scorcher, for the firing every moment grew more distinct.