were not really
afraid to venture in quest of the supposed treasure; but they were in
a frame of mind that dreaded the first plunge. And time was going by.

But the fates were against us, as always in this ill-starred voyage.
I, watching from my sand dune, saw a second figure emerge from the
arroyo's mouth. It appeared to stagger as though hurt; and every eight
or ten paces it stopped and rested in a bent-over position. The murky
light was too dim for me to make out details; but after a moment a
rift in the veil enabled me to identify Dr. Schermerhorn carrying,
with great difficulty, the chest.

XVI

THE MURDER

I took no chances, but began at once to shout, as soon as I saw the men
had noticed his coming. It was impossible for me to tell whether or not
Dr. Schermerhorn heard me. If he did, he misunderstood my intention, for
he continued painfully to advance. The only result I gained was to get
myself well gagged with my own pocket handkerchief, and thrown in a hollow
between the dunes. Thence I could hear Handy Solomon speaking fiercely and
rapidly.

"Now you let me run this," he commanded; "we got to find out somethin'. It
ain't no good to us without we knows--and we want to find out how he's got
the rest hid."

They assented.

"I'm goin' out to help him carry her in," announced the seaman.

A long pause ensued, in which I watched the deep canopy of red-black
thicken overhead. A strange and unearthly light had fallen on the world,
and the air was quite still. After a while I heard Handy Solomon and Dr.
Schermerhorn join the group.

"There you are, Perfessor," cried Handy Solomon, in tones of the greatest
heartiness, "I'll put her right there, and she'll be as safe as a babby at
home. She's heavy, though."

Dr. Schermerhorn laughed a pleased and excited laugh. I could tell by the
tone of his voice that he was strung high, and guessed that his triumph
needed an audience.

"You may say so well!" he said. "It iss heafy; and it iss heafy with the
world-desire, the great substance than can do efferything. Where iss
Percy?"

"He's gone aboard."

"We must embark. The time is joost right. A day sooner and the egsperiment
would haf been spoilt; but now"--he laughed--"let the island sink, we do
not care. We must embark hastily."

"It'll take a man long time to carry down all your things, Perfessor."

"Oh, led them go! The eruption has alretty swallowed them oop. The lava
iss by now a foot deep in the