save an occasional
trembling or vibration under foot, all seemed still.

"One hour at the most," said Drew. "Come on."

"I say the same," cried Panton. "Come on."

Oliver proved to be nearest as to time, for they all referred to their
watches when the above words were spoken, and again, when, after a long
weary scramble over the yielding ashes, from which came breathings of
hot, stifling air.

"Two hours, forty minutes," cried Drew. "I couldn't have thought it."

The hot, gaseous emanations had really seemed to be like breathings, and
as they neared the top, they were conscious, as they paused again and
again, of the mountain seeming to pant and utter sounds like weary
sighs.

As they mounted higher, the heat began to grow suffocating, and it was
at last so bad that Smith and Wriggs pulled up short and looked hard at
their leaders.

"Well?" cried Oliver.

"Think it safe to go any furder, sir?" said Smith.

"Safe or no, we mean to get to the top now we've mounted so high. Why
do you ask? Want to stop?"

"Well, sir, you see Billy Wriggs been thinking for some time as it was
getting werry dangerous, and he'd like to go down."

"Speak the truth, Tommy, speak the truth," growled Wriggs.

"Why, I am speaking the truth, Billy," cried Smith, in angry
remonstrance. "Didn't you say over and over again as it was werry
dangerous?"

"Nay, I said it was dangerous, I didn't say werry."

"Oh, well, that's nigh enough for me, messmate."

"You two had better stay here while we go to the top," said Oliver,
quietly. "Ready, you others?"

"Yes," said Panton. "Forward," and they started upward again, but
stopped directly, for the two sailors were trudging up close behind
them.

"I thought you two were going to stop back," cried Oliver.

"Not me," said Smith. "Billy Wriggs can, if he likes."

"What?" cried the latter, "and let you get puffin' and blowin' about
havin' done my dags. Not me, Tommy, old man. I'm a-goin' right up to
the top, and I'll go as far inside as he will, gen'lemen."

"Come along, then," cried Oliver, and the slow trudge, trudge was
resumed in zig-zags, till Smith halted once more, and stood wiping his
steaming face.

"Beg pardon, sir," he said, "but if you look uppards, you can see as the
smoke hangs over toward us."

"Yes, what of that?" said Oliver.

"Well, that means wind, though we can't feel none. Wouldn't it be best,
'stead o' doublin' back, if we was to go right on now, so