Page:Biagi - The Centaurians.djvu/96

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The Centaurians


hot all right, it's lava—don't care to investigate. But, gentlemen," he suddenly exclaimed, "gentlemen, gentlemen, we have discovered the Pole!"

We gave three rousing cheers; the echo was like a thousand voices.

Saunders, after taking observations, told us we had reached 100 degrees north latitude. Time, 5.20 A. M.

"Onward!" cried Saxe.

But Sheldon called our attention to the sudden disturbance in the black waters below. Even as he spoke we heard a sissling, bubbling sound, and a great column of water shot upward hundreds of feet, falling with tremendous roar; then another column mightier than the first rolled upward, while the mountain quaked to the detonation.

"Onward!" shouted Saxe.

The Propellier shot down the side of that quivering mountain like a rocket. Looking back I saw column after column of fiery, steaming substance boil upward in rapid succession. With lightning speed we got out of the vicinity of that strange pool with its marvelous geyser-like action, and did not slacken up till we were miles away; then—glory be to glory! we had reached the North Pole, and passed it.

CHAPTER VIII.

Saxe. vehemently declared he would perish before traveling that route again.

"We would never find it," Saunders interrupted.

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