"If you boys think you can repair the damage done the machine in so short a time," agreed the professor, doubtfully. "But you know we must at least arrive at Aleukan in time to meet the train from Coldfoot. If the _Snowbird_ cannot be launched again, we will have to see if our good friend here, Mr. Roebach, can fit us out with dogs and men." "That I'll do to the best of my ability," said the oil man, rising. "But I'd better get out now and set my men to work. I am boring in a new place this week, and it looks promising. We are down a hundred and twenty feet already." They put on their outer garments and left the cabin. Although this was summer weather, there was a sting of frost in the air even as it neared mid-forenoon. But the sun was strangely overcast, and that might account for the drop in temperature. "Disher day fo'git ter grow," complained Washington, rolling his eyes until, as Jack suggested, they could see only the whites of them in the dark, and the gleam of his teeth. "'Nstead o' bein' as sunshiny as it doughter be arter dat storm, it's suah growin' night fast! 'Taint a full-grown day, nohow!" "Sort of stunted; is it, Wash?" chuckled Jack. Andy Sudds here spoke decisively: "I been tryin' to make out what it was, like feathers, a-touchin' my face. But it ain't snow. _It's ashes_!" "Volcanic dust!" cried Mark. "That volcano must be active again. That's what brought about the earthquake," said Jack. "And the darkness. What we thought was a fog over the sun must be a cloud of ashes." "This ain't no place for us," declared Andy. "I wish we were back at that man's house." "Or could find the _Snowbird_ pretty soon," added Mark. "We're going right for it--I'm sure of that," said Jack, cheerfully. And scarcely had he spoken when the four suddenly clung to each other, rocking on their feet! Washington White shrieked aloud, fell upon his knees, and it took but little to drag the boys and Andy Sudds with him. "The whole world is done rockin' ergain!" wailed the darkey. "Dis is de end ob de finish!" The vibrations of the ground grew in strength. The air about them seemed to shake. The darkness was so intense that Jack, holding a shaking hand before his face, could not distinguish its outline. And all the time the volcanic ash drifted down through the writhing tree-tops, while the boys and their companions were unable to stand erect. CHAPTER XI THE WONDERFUL LEAP Unlike the former trembling of the earth, this experience gave no immediate promise of cessation. The world rocked on in awful throes--as though it really was, as the black man feared, the end of all material things. Jack and Mark rolled upon the ground in the grove of huge trees, clinging to each other's hands, but unable to rise, or to find their two comrades. A rising thunder of sound accompanied this manifestation, too. And, after some stricken minutes, the boys realized that it was thunder.