“Gentlemen!” cried Rollsborough, standing up and turning slightly to face his companions, “to my thinking there is no obstacle to the accomplishment of our purpose; it seems as if we could go through the sun as easily as not, and I, personally, would dearly like to see of what it really is composed, and as the owners have placed the decision with us, are you willing to risk your lives in this manner as the owners risk the ship, for the cause of science? Are you——” He got no further, for he was interrupted by shouts of “Aye” and applause which drowned all words, leaving no doubt of the unanimity of opinion. The conversation then became general, drifting to the _modus operandi_ of conducting the observations and examinations, and for several hours the voyagers discussed the subject in detail, deciding to examine the corona in which they rested; to sink into the atmosphere, testing, photographing, and analysing as they proceeded, and measuring its depth in various places. Then to settle down to the photosphere and travel round the sun in or over this, take all measurements, find its composition, its physical and chemical properties, its spots, granules, and, in short, settle beyond dispute every detail at present doubtful or unknown, and verify all now accepted as fact. After this the _Regina_ was to sink through the photosphere, be it gaseous, molten elements, or what not, and risk annihilation by penetrating to its heart to find its inner structure, coming out, in all probability, on the other side. Not a soul on board flinched at the possible danger of a horrible death, not one doubted the powers of the _Regina_ or the skill of the men controlling her, to whose hands they had gladly entrusted their lives. Heroes, and possibly martyrs, in the cause of science, facing death itself and that in its most awful form on the mere chance of adding a little more scientific knowledge to that already possessed which, great as it might seem, was less than a mere drop in the vast ocean of the unknown. Grey-headed men, many of them, they anticipated the perilous venture with the same keen enthusiasm with which a youth anticipates his play, and the details being settled, they were impatient to proceed. Accordingly, the _Regina_ was made slowly to sink, perhaps her last descent, and as she gently settled down like a falling leaf in a motionless air, the occupants became completely absorbed in their work, which had been so arranged that each one took such items and branches as would collectively cover every phase and detail on which information was necessary or desirable, and so they slowly but surely approached nearer and ever nearer the glorious but annihilating Mystery, defying the Death that was lurking there with sharpened scythe. CHAPTER XI “THE IMPREGNABLE ROCK”