“I am, I know! awfully afraid!” exclaimed Godfrey, tactfully, seeing that Field resented Gilbert’s unthinking remark, “and so are we all, and I expect if you asked each of us if we would rather not go, we should all say ‘Yes,’ but we intend going all the same!—at least I suppose so, for we don’t get the chance of slipping into the sun every day; so if all are ready and willing, sink her, old man, and then we’ll watch—and get roasted together, may be!” All smiled, even Field, serious as was the occasion, and Gilbert altered several of the switches, closely examining the indicators meanwhile, then came into the saloon and joined the rest, who were crowded round the windows in silence; somehow, words seemed superfluous, as they stood, each intently thinking, for any moment now they might meet their doom. For the space of several minutes they stood, with no apparent change. “We are not moving!” said Rollsborough, in an intense whisper. “Yes,” responded Gilbert, “we are becoming slowly heavier; look! the sea is drawing nearer!” So it was; the ship seemed perfectly still, and the fiery ocean to the whole horizon was apparently rising up to them, the waves spinning and lashing and the ‘granules,’ or ‘rice-grains,’ their tops wonderfully white, were gleaming and sparkling like the sun on rippling Earth-water, as they spun in eddies and long, lapping waves; and a moment later the ocean appeared to give a final rush upwards to crush the ship, and the liquid fire was level with the base of the windows; then the surface of it was level with their eyes; then it rose higher, and the windows seemed covered from the bottom with a golden-like blind with an edging of sparkling lace as it drew higher and higher, and then they were engulfed. Now what was to happen? Were they to be destroyed in that awful bath? Each drew a deep breath and gripped the sides of the windows, as though that would save them; then the deathly silence was broken by Rollsborough saying in a whisper, “See, the fire is at least a foot distant from the windows. We are safe!” “Thank God!” came from several parts of the saloon, so hoarsely and faintly that it had been more heartfelt than articulate. No one spoke again for some minutes, for thoughts and the relief from tension were too deep for words. Slowly they sank, seeing nothing but cream-coloured blinds to the windows—a sea which became as slowly hotter and more glaringly white till at last they could scarcely see in the blinding light. They drew all the screens before the windows, and after ascertaining that the continuous photographic apparatus and the instruments for spectrum-photography were working properly, they waited as patiently as their excitement would allow. For hours they continued their slow descent, the time seeming like an eternity, till at last some one ejaculated, “For mercy’s sake, let us get through or we shall be turning delirious!”