The atmosphere was quivering like a glowing oven, and from the fiery sea to the sky above the waves of vapor rose and fell like the spirits of the flames themselves. As we drifted on, the heat grew more intense, and the vital principle of the atmosphere was gone. The sea was rushing upon us with awful speed, and with each minute of advance the air became more stifling. Torrence’s hand was upon the lever, but not to slacken speed. Was he mad? Had the fellow become insane? I asked him the question, for although rising to a tremendous height, he had pushed the air ship up to her highest speed, and it would be but a few minutes before we should be launched directly over that awful hell of fire. "Have you lost your mind?" I shouted; "what are you about?" "Gurt, brace yourself for a strain; we can stand it!" "Stand what?" "Go below! Get some buckets of water and sponges. I am going to cross that sea!" "Stop!" I cried, grasping his arm, "are you going to kill us?" He shook me off. "Get the water," he said, "and be quick about it." Still I was immovable, while the air ship seemed to leap through the air at the rate of a mile a minute. I could scarcely breathe. The fiery world ahead was not a mile away. Our lungs would be consumed in that horrible incandescent vapor. No living creature could stand it. I continued to hesitate. "Damn you!" roared Torrence; "if you don’t get the water you can stand where you are and be burned. I would cross that sea if it were a thousand times hotter than hell. But I tell you I do not believe it is wide, and we shall be safely over in an hour, if you will trust me. Don’t stop to talk, for I am determined, and will drag both our skeletons through to the bitter end, sooner than turn back now!" I ran below as fast as possible after the water, for I saw that argument was useless, and my fears for Torrence’s sanity were also aroused.