had the
night before.

At last the dawn began to tint the east, and the growing light showed
them that the storm had passed. The upper strata of Saturn's
atmosphere being filled with infinitesimal particles of dust, as a
result of its numerous volcanoes, the conditions were highly favourable
to beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Soon coloured streaks extended far
into the sky, and though they knew that when the sun's disc appeared it
would seem small, it filled the almost boundless eastern horizon with
the most variegated and gorgeous hues.

Turning away from the welcome sight--for their minds were ill at
ease--they found the light strong enough for their search to begin.
Writing on a sheet of paper, in a large hand, "Have gone to the
Callisto to look for you; shall afterwards return here," they pinned
this in a conspicuous place and set out due west, keeping about a
hundred yards apart. The ground was wet and slippery, but overhead all
was clear, and the sun soon shone brightly. Looking to right and left,
and occasionally shouting and discharging their revolvers, they went on
for half an hour.

"I have his tracks," called Bearwarden, and Cortlandt hastened to join
him.

In the soft ground, sure enough, they saw Ayrault's footprints, and,
from the distance between them, concluded that he must have been
running or walking very fast; but the rain had washed down the edges of
the incision. The trail ascended a gentle slope, where they lost it;
but on reaching the summit they saw it again with the feet together, as
though Ayrault had paused, and about it were many other impressions
with the feet turned in, as if the walkers or standers had surrounded
Ayrault, who was in the centre.

"I hope," said Cortlandt, "these are nothing more than the footprints
we have seen formed about ourselves."

"See," said Bearwarden, "Dick's trail goes on, and the others vanish.
They cannot have been made by savages or Indians, for they seem to have
had weight only while standing."

They then resumed their march, firing a revolver shot at intervals of a
minute. Suddenly they came upon a tall, straight tree, uprooted by the
wind and lying diagonally across their path. Following with their eyes
the direction in which it lay, they saw a large, hollow trunk, with the
bark stripped off, and charred as if struck by lightning. Obliged to
pass near this by the uprooted tree-whose thick trunk, upheld by the
branches at the head, lay rais