Таинственный остров

           Hardingtookallthisinataglance,andwithouthesitating,followedbythelad,heenteredtheenormouschasminthemidstofanincreasingobscurity.

           Therewasstillaheightofathousandfeettoovercome.Wouldtheinterioracclivitiesofthecraterbepracticable?Itwouldsoonbeseen.Theperseveringengineerresolvedtocontinuehisascentuntilhewasstopped.Happilytheseacclivitieswounduptheinteriorofthevolcanoandfavoredtheirascent.

           Astothevolcanoitself,itcouldnotbedoubtedthatitwascompletelyextinct.Nosmokeescapedfromitssides;notaflamecouldbeseeninthedarkhollows;notaroar,notamutter,notremblingevenissuedfromthisblackwell,whichperhapsreachedfarintothebowelsoftheearth.Theatmosphereinsidethecraterwasfilledwithnosulphurousvapor.Itwasmorethanthesleepofavolcano;itwasitscompleteextinction.CyrusHarding’sattemptwouldsucceed.

           Littlebylittle,Herbertandheclimbingupthesidesoftheinterior,sawthecraterwidenabovetheirheads.Theradiusofthiscircularportionofthesky,framedbytheedgeofthecone,increasedobviously.Ateachstep,asitwere,thattheexplorersmade,freshstarsenteredthefieldoftheirvision.Themagnificentconstellationsofthesouthernskyshoneresplendently.AtthezenithglitteredthesplendidAntaresintheScorpion,andnotfarwasAlphaCentauri,whichisbelievedtobetheneareststartotheterrestrialglobe.Then,asthecraterwidened,appearedFomalhautoftheFish,theSouthernTriangle,andlastly,nearlyattheAntarcticPole,theglitteringSouthernCross,whichreplacesthePolarStaroftheNorthernHemisphere.

           Itwasnearlyeighto’clockwhenCyrusHardingandHerbertsetfootonthehighestridgeofthemountainatthesummitofthecone.