No time remained to strike a fresh light. The sullen crash of the waters drowned the sound of their voices, and the canoe blindly took its own course and they felt the chill spray spattering their faces.
“Bump, bump, bump,” went the quivering boat, grinding and crashing on loose rocks, and then with one terrific lurch, that sent them sprawling on their knees, the violent tossing subsided and the choppy waves smacked the bottom of the canoe.
With some difficulty Guy lit a fresh torch, and its light revealed a strange condition of things.
No shore was visible on either side, and overhead was empty space instead of the low lying roof that always met their gaze.
“We are no longer moving,” cried the colonel in astonishment.
“Impossible!” exclaimed Guy, but on putting his hand in the water all doubt was instantly removed. The canoe was stationary.
They paddled on to the right, to the left, in every direction, but the dark water lay calm and sluggish on all sides.
“We are on a lake,” said Guy. “There is no doubt of it; a vast underground lake.”
“There must be an outlet on the other side, though,” replied Melton. “All we need do is to paddle across and find it.”
“But which is the proper side?” said Canaris. “Are we headed straight now?”