what would not count in any
handicap. He was therefore at peace, while the rest of us, Royalty
included, were inwardly thinking that after this the orthodox future
of the wicked would have no terrors. At a moment when the body-guard
appeared to be most ostentatious in his freedom from clothing the
American said to his Majesty: "King, do you know what 1/60th of your
standing army is?" The reply was a low and frigid: "No."

"It's a vulgar fraction."

.....................

There were seven of us walking on the crater of the volcano: great banks
of sulphur on the right, dark glaciers of lava on the left, high walls
of scoria and volcanic crust enveloping us all about. We were four
thousand feet above the level of the sea. We were standing at the door
of the House of Pele, the Goddess of Fire. We knocked, but she would not
open. The flames were gone from her hearthstone, her smoke was gorging
the throat of the suffering earth.

"Say, she was awful sick while she was about it," said the American as
he stumbled over the belched masses of lava.

That was one day. But two days after we stood at Pele threshold again.
Now red scoria and pumice and sulphur boiled and rolled where the hard
lava had frayed our boots. Within thirty-six hours Kilauea has sprung
from its flameless sleep into sulphurous life and red roaring grandeur.
Though Pele came but slowly, she came; and a lake of fire beat at the
lofty sides of the volcanic cup. The ruby spray flashed up to the sky,
and geysers of flame hurled long lances at the moon.

"King," said the American, "why don't you turn it into an axe-factory?"

At last the time came when we must leave this scene of marvel and
terror, and we retired reluctantly. There were two ways by which we
might return to the bridle path that led down the mountain. The American
desired to take the one by which we had not come; the rest of us, tired
out, preferred to go as we came--the shortest way. A compromise was made
by his Majesty sending 1/60th of the standing army with the American,
who gaily said he would join us, "horse, foot and cavalry," in the
bridle-path. We reached the meeting-point first, but as we looked
back we saw with horror that two streams of fire were flowing down the
mountain side. We were to the left of them both, and safe; but between
them, and approaching us, were Van Blaricom and the native soldier. The
two men saw their danger, and pushed swiftly down the mountainside and