190 THE CRATER; that you should find your way back to the Reef, since you are no navigator." " The Reef! If this here mountain is the Reef, the country has greatly altered since I left it," answered Bob. Mark then briefly explained the great change that had actually occurred, and told his own story touching his boat and his late voyages of discovery. Betts listened with the greatest attention, casting occasional glances upward at the immense mass that had been so suddenly lifted out of the sea, as well as turning his head to regard the smoke of the more distant volcano. " Well, this explains our arthquake," he answered, as soon as Mark was done. " I must have been as good as a hundred and fifty leagues from this very spot at the time you mention, and we had tremblings there that would scarce let a body stand on his feet. A ship came in two days arterwards, that must have been a hundred leagues further to the nor ard when it happened, and her people reported that they thought heaven and arth was a coming together, out there in open water." " It has been a mighty earthquake must have been, to have wrought these vast changes ; though I had supposed that Providence had confined a knowledge of its existence to myself. But, you spoke of a ship, Bob surely we are not in the neighbourhood of vessels." " Sartain but, I may as well tell you my adventures at once, Mr. Mark ; though I own I should like to land first, as it is a long story, and take a look at this island that you praise so much, and taste them reed-birds of which you give so good an account. I m Jarsey-born and bred, and know what the little things be." Mark was dying to hear Bob s story, more especially since he understood a ship was connected with it, but he could not refuse his friend s demand for sweet water and a dinner. The entrance of the cove was quite near, and the boats entered that harbour and were secured; after which the three men commenced the ascent, Mark picking up by the way the spy-glass, fowling-piece, and other arti cles that he had dropped in the haste of his descent. While going up this sharp acclivity, but little was said ; but, when they reached the summit, or the plain rather, exclamations
