Part 13 (1/2)
”'Ligious! Why, what have you got hold of now?”
”Nothing. You heard him too. He said as the cat prayed on them feathers.”
”Get out. Don't be a hignoramus. Wild cats is beasts o' prey.”
”He said beasts as pray, and I don't believe it.”
”And I don't believe your head's properly stuffed, mate. Yes, sir,” he continued, as Oliver spoke. ”You call?”
”I said if you want to wash your snakey hands, here's a good chance.”
The sailor stepped down into a hollow, above which a little cloud of vapour hung over a basin of beautifully blue water, enclosed by a fine drab-coloured stone. It was not above a foot deep, save in the centre, where there was a little well-like hole, and a dozen feet across, while at one side it brimmed over and rippled down and away in a tiny stream, overhung by beautifully green ferns and water-plants, which were of the most luxuriant growth.
”Looks good enough for a bath, gentlemen, when you've done,” said Smith.
”Try your hands first,” said Oliver. ”But wait a moment,” and he took a little case from his pocket, and from it a gla.s.s tube with a mercury bulb.
”Look at that!” whispered Billy Wriggs. ”Tools for everything, mate.
What's he going to do--taste it first?”
”I dunno,” said Smith, watching Oliver Lane attentively, as the young man plunged the mercury bulb in the water, and held it there for a few moments, and then drew it out.
”Go on, my lads,” he said. ”Like some soap?”
As he spoke he took a small metal box out of his pocket, and opened it to display a neatly fitting cake of soap.
”Look at him,” whispered Smith to his companion--”ay, tools for everything. Thank-ye, sir,” he added as he took the soap, stepped down close to the edge of the basin, and plunged in his hands, to withdraw them with a shout of excitement.
”What's the matter?” said Drew, laughing.
”It's hot, sir. Water's hot!”
”Well, my lad, it is a hot spring. There's nothing surprising in that.
We're in a volcanic land.”
”Are we, sir?” said the man, staring at him. ”And is this volcanic water?”
”Of course.”
”But where does it get hot, sir?”
”Down below.”
”What! is there a fire underneath where we are standing?”
”Yes; deep down.”
”Then where's the chimney, sir?”
”Out beyond that smoke and steam, I expect. There, wash your hands.
It's not hot enough to scald your hard skin.”