"Yes, my lad, it looks a terrible ruin here and there," said the captain, as Jack handed him the glass to try; "but changes take place quickly out here, and the sun's hard at work already repairing damages.
Those heaps will soon rot away, and fresh growth cover the bare patches.
It's bad enough, but an eruption from the mountain there would have done more mischief than this."
Over a late meal there was a discussion about their future proceedings, and the elders went into the pros and cons of their position.
"You could find us another island, captain, couldn't you?" said Sir John.
"Oh yes, sir; several that I dare say would answer your purpose, but I'm afraid that we shall have the native difficulty go where we may, for these sanguinary blacks are a restless lot, and wherever there is a beautiful spot they generally take possession of it."
"Of course," said the doctor gruffly. "We should do the same."
"We have done the same all the world round," said Sir John, laughing.
"Of course. 'It is their nature to,'" quoted the doctor. "For my part it seems a sin to go away when we have not secured half the grand specimens of birds to be found."
"And my cases of insects not half filled," said Sir John.
"But after his rough experience," said the captain dryly, "I cannot wonder at Mr Jack here feeling anxious to be homeward bound."
"I?" cried Jack, turning upon the captain excitedly. "I anxious to go back? Why, what made you think that, Captain Bradleigh?"
"Oh, I thought you must be, sir, after what you have gone through.
Nobody could like that."
"Of course I did not," said the lad, flushing. "It was terrible and risky while it lasted, but I don't mind it all now, and we might stay here for months and never see the blacks again."
"That means you would like to stay a little longer?"
"Yes, father," cried the lad excitedly. "It would be dreadfully disappointing to go away and not climb right to the crater now I have been so near, and know the way."
An hour later Jack was on deck watching the stars, and listening to the deep, heavy boom of the surf on the reef, thinking of how wonderful the contrast was, and mentally going over the horrors of the past night, when he heard a familiar air being whistled forward, one he had often heard coming from the pantry at home, and he walked ahead, to find Ned leaning over the side.
"Ah, Mr Jack! here you are then. I say, I'm not going to have any more of this nonsense. Doctor's all very well, but it's a strange thing if a man don't know best how he is."
"Why, what's the matter?"
"Doctor Instow's the matter, sir; and after all he ain't my master. If the guv'nor says I ain't to do a thing, or you, my young guv'nor, says it, why that's enough; but Doctor Instow don't pay me my wages."
"What has he been saying to you?"
"Put his foot down, and wouldn't let me wait dinner, sir. But I mean to go on as usual to-morrow morning."
"Oh, very well; go on, then. But what do you think of our starting for home to-morrow morning, Ned?"
"What, sir? Start for home--to-morrow morning?"
"Yes, aren't you glad?"
"Glad, sir? Will you excuse me asking you a question?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"Would you be good enough to tell me why we come out here, if, as soon as we find a place like this, we want to start back?"
"The place is dangerous. These blacks--"
"Bother the blacks! Who cares for the blacks, sir? Why, haven't we licked 'em over and over again? Oh, well, sir, I'm not master. All I've got to say, sir, is, I'm jolly sorry we came."
"Then you are glad we are going back?"
"That I ain't, sir. I say it's a shame. Why, the fun has only just begun."
"Ah, well, we're not going yet. I said I should like to stay and see more, and do more collecting, and ascend the mountain by the way we came down."
"There, I beg your pardon, Mr Jack, sir, I do indeed, for I was all wrong. Thought you were saying that because of the niggers; and I did hope you were too English for that."
"Well, Ned, I hope I am."
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE.
THE LAST ADVENTURE.
From that day the collecting went on merrily, for it seemed as if, to use Ned's words, "the niggers" had had "a regular sickener," excursion after excursion being made with careful precautions, which as the weeks rolled on were more and more relaxed.
Naturally at every landing traces of the terrible havoc made by the hurricane were seen; but, as Captain Bradleigh said, the sun was hard at work repairing damages, and there were endless lovely places which had completely escaped.
The men were never happier than when they were forming guards or porters for the various expeditions, and the naturalists' cases grew fuller and fuller of gorgeously-painted or armoured birds. The display of butterflies and wondrously-shaped flies and beetles was extensive, and as Jack and his henchman handled gun, butterfly-net, dredge, or fishing-line, the very existence of inimical natives not many miles away began to be forgotten, just as Jack's life before he was roused from his dreaming existence into that of a strong, manly English lad seemed to be a thing of the past.
Many months had elapsed since they left England, and in spite of the way in which the provender was supplemented by fish and fresh meat in the shape of pork, kid, and a small kind of deer discovered in one valley, as the captain said, stores would not last for ever, and they must soon either turn homeward, or run to one of the ports where supplies could be obtained.
Sir John said that another fortnight must end their stay at the island, and then they would sail for Hong Kong, take in stores, and start for their journey homeward round the world.
One thing had been kept for the last, and that was an ascent of the volcano, and three days before the fortnight had elapsed, the yacht was run round to the foot of the valley where the canoe had lain and from here a strong party was to start at daybreak, carrying provisions and canvas for a couple of tents, so that they could sleep somewhere up the mountain, and descend on the other side, where the yacht was to meet them.
Full of excitement over this, which he looked upon as the great event of the voyage, Jack was awake before Ned came to summon him, and headed by Sir John and the doctor, the captain remaining on board, the expedition, which included ten well-armed men from the crew, who were provided with axes, ropes, and light tent-poles, started in the highest of spirits.
No collecting was to be done, but every effort directed to scaling the mountain, which had several times shown a brighter light from its top, and in anticipation of strange sights and the discovering of fresh wonders, Jack stepped to the front with Ned, their experience being sufficient to warrant their acting as guides.
It proved to be a stiff climb, but at sunset they had reached a sheltered hollow where there was a sufficiency of scrubby dwarfed trees to supply them with wood and a screen to keep off the keen wind which blew pretty hard at five thousand feet above sea level, and after watching the sun set from the grand elevation supper was eaten, and a watch set, the rest lying down eager for morning and their ascent of the final slope of some hundred feet to the crater.
These long tramps and climbs in the open air had the effect generally of making the night's rest seem astoundingly brief to Jack, who lay down, be the bed hard or soft, took a few deep breaths, and then all was oblivion till it was time to rise. And it was so here high up on the mountain slope, upon a bed of soft grey ashes, with a thin canvas loosely hung tent fashion. One minute he was awake, thinking of the coolness of the wind at that height, the next fast asleep, and then, so it appeared, directly after staring at Ned, who had shaken him to announce breakfast, while a scent of newly-made coffee floated in through the opening in the canvas.
In half-an-hour they were climbing the yielding slope of ashes diagonally, with the sun just appearing at the edge of the sea, glorifying the mists and the island below in a way that forced them to halt and gaze in wonderment at the beauty of the scene. Then up and up once more, but so slowly that a good two hours were spent over what had seemed to be to Jack the work of a few minutes. For the sides were deep in cindery stones which gave at every step, and ran down in little avalanches, leaving beneath a bed of fine silvery ash into which their feet sank deeply.
To have gone straight up would have been impossible, but by a side movement the way was slowly won, and at last Jack paused for a few moments to get his breath, then hurried up the rest of the way, reached the top first, and was seen by those below to pass over what seemed to be a sharp edge and disappear.
Ned shouted in alarm and rushed up after him, Sir John and the doctor next, for there was no reply to the shouts, and as just then a puff of smoke suddenly shot into the air, a horrible dread assailed the little group. But when they reached the edge they saw that their alarm was needless, for Jack had dropped into a sitting position upon the soft ashes, and was gazing down into a great cup-like depression about half-a-mile across, and gradually dipping down till the centre of the hollow was about five hundred feet below the top.