HAUNTED.
As Brand, like one spell-bound, continued staring at the strange
vision, he beheld the lean throat quivering, and heard issuing
therefrom a gurgling cry exactly like that on the fatal night.
It was a horrible sound, especially to Brand, who, with one hoarse
scream, bounded backward on beholding the apparition suddenly vanish,
as if melting away in the air.
At the noise made by Brand, Turk, followed by Harry, rushed back into
the hold.
"What is the matter?"
"Nothing," gasped Brand; "nothing at all."
There were big drops of sweat upon his brow, his eyes protruded, while
great, purple rings spread around them.
"Nothing," said Turk; "ay, ay, now, but there must be something the
matter with ye, Cap. D'ye feel hungry?"
Perceiving that he must make some excuse, Brand puzzled himself trying
to think of some plausible one.
"The fact is," said he, "I believe what we've gone through has
unstrung my nerves. I thought I felt a snake around my legs, when it
was nothing but a coil of rope."
His auditors believed him all the more readily that they had by this
time concluded that the man, like most all thoroughly selfish people,
was a coward.
In a short time they were out of the schooner, when Brand, who had
previously lagged, was now the foremost.
In a short time they reached a level piece of turf about one hundred
yards from the wreck.
This they concluded would be a good halting place, at least for the
present, and so they commenced the work of erecting shelters.
This was soon done, after which they threw themselves down to rest,
Mary, as on the other island, occupying a bower apart from the others.
The young girl slept but little that night. When she did full asleep,
her slumber was troubled with disagreeable dreams. The roaring of the
volcano whose red gleam could be seen far up through the shrubbery,
shooting from one of the island peaks, mingled with her fancies, and
seemed the report of countless volleys of musketry.
At morn, after partaking of a frugal breakfast, the party consulted as
to their next course.
Turk wanted to commence at once upon his boat, Brand, sullen,
glowering and silent, seemed inclined to do nothing, while Mary and
Glenville concluded to walk off by themselves to explore the island.
Striking through the shrubbery, the young people soon found themselves
at the foot of the peak on which was the volcano.
They could see the smoke and the flashes of fire shooting up, could
also feel the ground shake under them, as if the flames were careering
beneath their very feet. Watching the volcano awhile, they moved on.
"Let us explore the island thoroughly," said Mary, "we may yet come
upon some trace of my parent."
"Why is it, Mary," inquired Harry, "that you seem so confident on this
subject?"
"My father," answered the young girl, "was an excellent swimmer. I
have heard him say he once swam across the East River, New York, while
a boy.
"Then again the captain informed me that, in falling overboard, it was
found that my parent had carried away with him a plank, which, from
carelessness, had been left hanging loosely over the stern. Now what
more likely than that with the help of the plank, and this island but
two miles to leeward, he should succeed in reaching it?"
Harry shook his head.
"Of course," said he, "such things have happened, but I have no idea
that your father reached the island."
For several hours the two walked over the isle, which they found to
be a beautiful place. There were flowers of almost every hue, clear,
purling streams, rocks, caverns and cascades, while through the green
shrubbery the banana and the breadfruit were visible.
The wanderers, however, came upon no traces of Mr. Manton, and Harry
could see that his companion's hopes in this respect were almost
extinguished.
Returning to the spot where the shelters were located, they found Turk
already at work upon his boat, assisted by Brand.
"You are making good progress," remarked Harry.
"Ay, ay," answered Turk, "there's no chance for laziness, now. The
sooner we leave this island the better, accordin' to my notion."
The old tar spoke solemnly.
"Ay," said Captain Brand, "that's my opinion. Hark! did ye hear that?"
A roaring, rumbling sound was heard, right under their feet; the
ground trembled violently.
"It is the subterranean fire of that volcano," said Harry. "I hardly
think there is much danger."
He said this to quiet the fears of Mary, who turned pale and looked
anxious.
"To my notion," said Turk, "it's devils a-lightin' their brimstone
right under us, hopin' in that way to catch us. It's plain they're
after some one among us, which I may premise by sayin' ain't me nor
Harry, nor this young lass."
Brand frowned darkly.
"How know you that I'm not as good as the rest of you," said he.
"Honestly speakin', Cap, I don't think you are," exclaimed the old
tar, bluntly.
"I've always led a good life," said Brand, shunning the great blue
eyes of Mary.
There was a rumble like thunder under ground, then a report like the
discharge of musketry.
"The devils is a-firin' off their muskets to celebrate that lie of
yours, Cap," remarked Turk, as he turned to his work.
The party now felt anxious. The noises under ground continued, the
island shook, while increased volumes of fire shot up from the
volcanic peak.
Harry now assisted Turk in his work on the boat. There had been found
that morning in the schooner an old hatchet with which Turk had
knocked away a large quantity of timber from the wreck to be conveyed
to the spot where he intended erecting his boat.
Working all day, the men made good progress.
Brand worked as hard as the rest. It was not the danger from the
volcano alone that urged him on in his efforts, but the continual
harassing fear, of again beholding that fearful apparition of his
drownded victim.
At night the aspect of the volcano was terrific. There were the lurid
flames, apparently shooting to the very skies, while whole showers
of sparks were thrown out in fiery flakes that filled all the air,
floating along like millions of fireflies over the sea, in the water
of which the were reflected.
Meanwhile the shocks became every moment more frequent, the ground
shaking as if beneath the tramp of armed horsemen.
Harry had advanced into the thicket a short distance, when he became
aware of a hissing sound, as if thousands of serpents were around him.
At the same moment, a broad, bright stream of something flashed up
before him, apparently descending towards him with great rapidity.
Now he comprehended that it was a stream of lava, thrown from the
volcanic crater, and rushing down the side of the steep cliff.
In fact he had not time to reach the spot where he had left his
companions, when it came hissing and rushing into the thicket, which
he had just left.
All night a careful watch was kept, the raft with additional timbers
secured to it being in readiness for the party to leave at a moment's
notice.
Nothing more than the shocks, with the fall of additional lava
occurred, however, to disturb the party.
"I doubt if anything serious happens, after all," said Harry.
Turk pointed to a couple of fissures in the side of the cliff.
"That looks bad," said he; "in my opinion, this island goes in less
than forty-eight hours."
Good progress was made on the boat this day.
At night watching the volcano, Mary suddenly uttered a wild cry, and
pointed up towards an overhanging rock beneath the crater.
"What is it?" was the question.
"I don't know," said Mary, shuddering, "but just now I am certain I
saw a form appear, and then suddenly vanish upon that shelf of rock."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
Turk looked solemn; Brand turned deadly pale.
"It must have been a spirit," said the old tar; "some imp after you,
Cap," he added, looking straight at Brand.
"Ay, a spirit," muttered the captain, his teeth chattering.