The Alphian looked at him astonished. “Is it not so in your country?” he asked. Johnston smiled. “The great sun that lights the outer world is as much greater than that ball of light as Alpha is greater than a grain of sand. But this surely is the greatest achievement of man. But while I now understand how your sun goes over the whole of Alpha, I cannot see how it returns.” “Then you have not heard of the great tunnel of the Sun,” replied the Alphian. “No,what is it?” “It runs beneath Alpha and connects the rising and setting points of the sun. There is a point beneath the king's palace where, by a staircase, the king and his officers may go down and inspect the sun as it is on its way back to the east during the day.” “Wonderful!” “And once a year a royal party goes in the sun over its entire course. It is said that it is sumptuously furnished inside, and not too warm, the lights being only innumerable small ones on the outside.” The two men were silent for a moment then Johnston said: “Perhaps we might be able to get into it unobserved and be thus carried over to the other side, or reach the palace through the tunnel.” Branasko started convulsively, and then, as he looked into the earnest eyes of the American, he said despondently: “We have got to die, anyway; it may be well for us to think of it; but on the other side, in the Barrens, there is no more chance for escape than here. But the adventure would at least give us something to think about; let's try it.” “All right; but how can we get down there where the sun starts to rise?” asked the American, peering cautiously over the edge of the hole. “There must be some way,” answered Branasko. “Ah, see! further to the left there are some ledges; let's see what can be done that way.” “I am with you.” The rays of the departing sun were almost gone, and the electric lights down among the machinery seemed afar off like stars reflected in deep water. With great difficulty the two men lowered themselves from one sharp ledge to another till they had gone half down to the bottom. “It is no use,” said Branasko, peering over the lowest ledge. “There are no more ledges and this one juts out so far that even if there were smaller ones beneath we could not get to them.” “That is true,” agreed the American, “but look, is not that a lake beneath? I think it must be, for the lights are reflected on its surface.” “You are right,” answered Branasko; “and I now see a chance for us to get down safely.” “How?” “The workers are too far from the lake to see us; we can drop into the water and swim ashore.” “Would they not hear the splashing of our bodies?” “I think not; but first let's experiment with a big stone.”