"Why, the volcano's burning," cried Jack excitedly. "Look! It's red-hot, and gradually increasing. There's going to be an eruption. How grand! But shall we be safe here?" "Quite," said the mate, smiling, and he stood watching his companion's face, and its changes in the glowing light of the magnificent spectacle, as the golden red-hot aspect of the mountain top rapidly increased, displaying every seam, ravine, and buttress, that seemed to be of burning metal, fiery spot after fiery spot, that the minute before was of a deep violet black. And this went on, with the fire appearing to sink gradually down till the whole of the mountain top was one grand blaze of glory, which went on apparently sinking behind a belt of clouds, till from being of dark and gloomy grey they began to glow and become of a wonderful translucency. "Oh!" panted the lad, "I never saw anything so grand as that. Look how the awful fire is reflected in the sky all round there." "Yes, it's brightening it well up," said the mate, smiling; and then the boy looked in his face, and the truth came to him like a flash from the great orb to enlighten his understanding. "Why, you're laughing at me," he cried. "How stupid! I thought the mountain was burning. You should have told me. How was I to--Yes, I ought to have known that mountain tops first caught the light. Oh, I wish I were not so ignorant." "You are not the first who has been deceived," said the mate quietly. "Well, the mountain does not look so gloomy now, does it?" "Glorious! Up there it is grand. I wish we were on the top." "All in good time. But you know how quickly the full day comes here near the equator. Keep looking." Jack wanted no telling, and for the next few minutes, with a curious sense of awe, wonder, and delight, he stood watching the line of light descending and making the beauties of the volcanic island start out of the gloom. The bands of cloud which hung round the sharp slope became roseate, golden, orange, and purple, and soon after the lad was gazing below the barren, glowing rocks at patches of golden green, then at the beginning of billows and deep valleys running down, the former of wonderful shades of green, the latter of deep dark velvety purple, across which silvery films of vapour were floating. And still the light came down, casting wonderful shadows, setting towering pyramidical trees blazing as it were; and then all at once the boy could have believed that he was gazing where there was a gash of liquid fire pouring down into a dark valley, flashing and coruscating till it disappeared.