“I have heard of fish being killed by the action of a volcano beneath the sea,” said the officer. “I have heard it said that all the Leeward Islands are volcanos, though only one was firing broadsides the year that I was with my Lord Hawke. 'Twas at Martinique which we took from the French. Even before the island came in sight, our sails were black with dust and our decks were strewn with cinders. But when we drew nigh to the island and saw the outburst of molten rocks flying up to the very sky itself--sir, I say to you that when a man has seen such a sight as that, he is not disposed to shudder at all that a foolish fellow who has never sailed further than the Bristol Channel may prate about the Day of Judgment.” “And to your thinking, sir, an earthquake or some such convulsion of nature hath taken place at the bottom of our peaceful Channel?” said Wesley. “In my thinking, sir, yes. But I would not say that the convulsion was at the bottom of the Channel; it may have been an hundred leagues in the Atlantic. And more is to come, sirs; take my word for it, more is to come. Look at yonder sun; 'tis more ominous than ever. I shall look out for volcano dust in the next rain, and advise the near-, est station east'ard to warn all the fishing craft to make snug, and be ready for the worst. I should not be surprised to find that the tide is still rising, and so I wish you good-morning, sirs.” He took off his hat and resumed his patrol of the coast. “This is a day of surprises,” said Wesley. “The story of the fish is difficult to believe, in spite of the cocoon of particulars in which it is enclosed,” said Hartwell. “The greatest marvel in a mariner's life seems to me to be his imagination and his readiness of resource when it comes to a question of memory. A volcano mountain in our Channel!” “Do not condemn the master of the revenue cutter too hastily,” said Wesley. “His story corresponds very nearly to that narrated to me yesterday by Polwhele.” “Is't possible? True, Polwhele was the only fisherman who went out to the reef three nights ago,” said Hartwell. “And the strange sounds----” “He heard them also--he thought that they came from a frigate discharging a broadside of carronades.” Hartwell was silent for some time. At last he said: “I could wish that these mysterious happenings had come at some other time. Are you rested sufficiently in this place, sir? I am longing for a cool room, where I can think reasonably of all that I have seen and heard this day.”