eded.

"I wonder," he muttered, in sleepy tones, "if that's a f-fam-'ly Bible
he's reading--or--or--a vol'm o' the En-Encyclopida Brit--"

He dropped off at this point, but, feeling that he had given way to some
sort of weakness, he struggled back again in to wakefulness, and saw
that the hermit was bending over the large book with his massive brow
resting on the palms of both hands, and his fingers thrust into his
iron-grey hair. It was evident, however, that he was not reading the
book at that moment, for on its pages was lying what seemed to be a
miniature or photograph case, at which he gazed intently. Nigel roused
himself to consider this, and in doing so again dropped off--not yet
soundly, however, for curiosity induced one more violent struggle, and
he became aware of the fact that the hermit was on his knees with his
face buried in his hands.

The youth's thoughts must have become inextricably confused at this
point, yet their general drift was indicated by the muttered words:

"I--I'm glad o' that--a good sign--an'--an' it's _not_ th' Encyclop."
Here Morpheus finally conquered, and he sank into dreamless repose.

How long this condition lasted he could not tell, but he was awakened
violently by sensations and feelings of dread, which were entirely new
to him. The bed on which he rested seemed to heave under him, and his
ears were filled by sharp rattling sounds, something like--yet very
different from--the continuous roll of musketry.

Starting up, he sprang into the large cavern where he found Van der Kemp
quietly tightening his belt and Moses hastily pulling on his boots.

"Sometin's bu'sted an' no mistake!" exclaimed the latter.

"An eruption from one of the cones," said the hermit. "I have been for
a long time expecting it. Come with us."

He went swiftly up the staircase and passages which led to the
observatory as he spoke.

The scene that met their eyes on reaching the ledge or plateau was
sublime in the extreme, as well as terrific.

"As I thought," said Van der Kemp, in a low tone. "It is Perboewatan
that has broken out."

"The cone from which I observed smoke rising?" asked Nigel.

"The same. The one over the very centre of the old crater, showing that
we were wrong in supposing it to be extinct: it was only slumbering. It
is in what vulcanologists term moderate eruption now, and, perhaps, may
prove a safety-valve which will prevent a more violent explosion."

That the cone of