The Transient Lake

ing in the pilot-house and began to arr

ut for Barney a

eason they did not seem to

hey are making a long trip. It i

Pomp; "reckon dat wild I'ishma

ong time. Certainly they had ou

e made up his mind th

them or they were lost. He c

lamps and until a late hour watch was ke

go to their re

claimed Pomp, "how we kn

by the searchlight, Pomp, and shoot its rays everyw

p rose, and while Frank sent it along the

had it, Frank took the opposite direction, and, misled by an a

was that he kept moving further and further from the spot where B

young inventor kept

oughly worn out that it was decided to aban

mall shelf of rock jutting out from the mountain side.

hours. Then he was relieved by Frank. T

ld not re

ight. He had sailed completely around the mountain peak a

t find them. I hope they are yet safe. Remaining ou

side of the peak again. As he did so the Spectre hung f

into the chasm, and then gave a g

ful depths he witnes

arful verge by the roo

to and fro over the verge, liable at any m

rank to recognize the unfortun

h blood. His clothing was torn, and his appearan

him he waved his arm feebly

the chasm. It was quickly close by the Celt,

t does this mean? How ca

"We wint over the edge wid so much strugglin', and I caught by luc

Providence," declared Frank;

re," replied Barney. "We siperated about

drawn aboard the air-ship,

a thril

e camp-fire under the shelf or rock, where he an

screech, and in trying to gain his feet

ways over the rough ground. Then, as Barney made a fresh battle with the b

. What had become of the captain he c

rn to the spot where the camp had been made a

ail over the rocks which was

It presented only a few burn

ne. He had left

strange

isted Frank and Barney. But not t

ly awakened by the appearance of the panther, had taken fright and incontinently fled. That

evoured, or dragged away by any wild beast as had B

ardly be imagined. But t

t the mountain side, and every

. The day wore on and it began to look as if

n't see phwat he should go away for at all for

declared Frank, "he would rathe

k, sor. It's moig

of the peak a short distance, and this brought into view a long jagged spur of rock

re was seen the figure of a man. He wav

Frank, "that is Beere. H

ht well be asked. It was

limb so far out on that awful pinnacle of rock

in's plight was a fearful one. But

k. "What are you doing

self, mate," replied the mariner

rig

e rope with which he

captain was safe on

was a rema

e. I only know that I went to sleep in the little camp

ism!" sugg

. Sure to walk in my sleep if I go

"You are hardly a safe ma

ut-how did you m

He had seen nothing of the panther, nor had he any recollection of anything u

the Spectre, which was a matter for congratulation; so Frank

country, however, was wild and unsettled, though the

look at the region about the Tr

familiar about this

s where the Paraguay River rises, if my eyesight does not fa

eflectively, "we don

"steer west by south. I thi

om Barney and Pomp, who were aft. Frank and Nicodemus t