Part 12 (2/2)

But, I say, Nigel, lad,” continued the old man, somewhat more seriously, ”what if the Peak o' Ra--Ra, what's-'is-name, should take to spoutin'

like this one, an' you, as you say, livin' under it?”

”Ha! das 'zackly what _I_ say,” interposed Moses. ”Das what I oftin says to ma.s.sa, but he nebber answers. He only smile. Ma.s.sa's not always so purlite as he might be!”

”There is no fear,” said Nigel, ”not at present, anyhow, for Van der Kemp says that the force of this eruption is diminis.h.i.+ng--”

”It don't look much like it,” muttered the captain, as the volcano at that moment gave vent to a burst which seemed like a sarcastic laugh at the hermit's opinion, and sent the more timid of the excursionists sprawling down the cinder-slope in great alarm.

”There's reason in what you say, father,” said Nigel, when the diminution of noise rendered speech more easy; ”and after all, as we start off on our travels to-morrow, your visit could not have been a long one.”

”Where do you go first?” asked the captain.

”Not sure. Do _you_ know, Moses?”

”No; no more 'n de man ob de moon. P'r'aps Borneo. He go dar sometimes.”

At this point another roar from the volcano, and a shout from the leader of the excursionists to return on board, broke up the conference.

”Well, lad, I'm glad I've seen you. Don't forget to write your whereabouts. They say there's a lot o' wild places as well as wild men and beasts among them islands, so keep your weather-eye open an' your powder dry. Good-bye, Nigel. Take care of him, Moses, and keep him out o' mischief if ye can--which is more than ever I could. Good-bye, my boy.”

”Good-bye, father.”

They shook hands vigorously. In another minute the old seaman was sailing down the cinder-cone at the rate of fourteen knots an hour, while his son, setting off under the guidance of Moses towards a different point of the compa.s.s, was soon pus.h.i.+ng his way through the tangled forest in the direction of the hermit's cave.

CHAPTER X.

A CURIOUS SEA-GOING CRAFT--THE UNKNOWN VOYAGE BEGUN.

It was early next morning when Van der Kemp and his man left their couches and descended to the sh.o.r.e, leaving their visitor enjoying the benefit of that profound slumber which bids defiance to turmoil and noise, however stupendous, and which seems to be the peculiar privilege of healthy infants and youthful seamen.

Perboewatan had subsided considerably towards morning, and had taken to that internal rumbling, which in the feline species indicates mitigated indignation. The hermit had therefore come to the conclusion that the outburst was over, and went with Moses to make arrangements for setting forth on his expedition after breakfast.

They had scarcely left the cave when Nigel awoke. Feeling indisposed for further repose, he got up and went out in that vague state of mind which is usually defined as ”having a look at the weather.” Whether or not he gathered much information from the look we cannot tell, but, taking up his short gun, which stood handy at the entrance of the cave, he sauntered down the path which his host had followed a short time before.

Arrived at the sh.o.r.e, he observed that a branch path diverged to the left, and appeared to run in the direction of a high precipice. He turned into it, and after proceeding through the bushes for a short way he came quite unexpectedly on a cavern, the mouth of which resembled, but was much higher and wider than that which led to the hermit's home.

Just as he approached it there issued from its gloomy depths a strange rumbling sound which induced him to stop and c.o.c.k his gun. A curious feeling of serio-comic awe crept over him as the idea of a fiery dragon leaped into his mind! At the same time, the fancy that the immense abyss of darkness might be one of the volcanic vents diminished the comic and increased the serious feeling. Ere long the sound a.s.sumed the definite tone of footsteps, and the dragon fancy seemed about to become a reality when he beheld a long narrow thing of uncertain form emerging from the darkness.

”It must be coming out tail-foremost!” he muttered, with a short laugh at his semi-credulity.

Another instant and the hermit emerged into the blazing suns.h.i.+ne, and stood pictured against the intense darkness like a being of supernatural radiance, with the end of a long narrow canoe on his shoulder.

As Nigel pa.s.sed round a bush to reach him he perceived the dark form of Moses emerging from the depths and supporting the body of the canoe.

”I see you are active and an early riser,” said the hermit, with a nod of approval on seeing our hero.

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