All at once they realized that the flow of steaming water had ended as abruptly as it had begun. The pool was still agitated at the spot where the base of the pillar of water had been located, but the terrible geyser had ceased to flow. ([Note 3].)
By degrees the two boys began to recover from the stagnation of mind and body into which they had been thrown.
“Come, the danger seems to be past,—for the present, at least,” remarked Dick; “let us look into this thing while we have the chance.”
“Just as you say,” replied Roger, eagerly. “After this, when any one speaks of these unbelievable things, we can tell what we have seen with our own eyes; and how we were saved from the Indian attack by that fountain of hot water.”
With considerable uneasiness, however, the two approached the spot where the base of the water-spout had been. As for Mayhew, nothing could tempt him to advance a single step. Indeed, he shook his head several times in a doubtful fashion, as though he believed it the height of folly for the others to take their lives in their hands in such a reckless way.
“Why, there’s a hole in the solid rock, Dick, and it all came out of that!” Roger exclaimed, after they had drawn close enough to be able to see.
“It had to come from some sort of cavity, of course,” remarked Dick, “and that hole is the place. I think it must ascend once in so often, for here is a regular runway where the water passes off. And to think that this same thing may have been going on for years!”
They listened to ascertain whether they could detect any sign of a great disturbance down in the aperture, but without very much success. Now that it was all over, the boys began to regain their courage, which had in fact been greatly shaken by the gushing of the mighty geyser.
“The Indians have all fled, which is one comfort,” observed Roger, presently.