The Transient Lake; or, Frank Reade, Jr.'s Adventures in a Mysterious Country. Luis Senarens
together with cement. It was half imbedded in a plain of sand. That it was the work of human hands there could be no doubt.
“Of course we were all interested, for it showed that at some time other human beings than ourselves had visited the spot. We at once began to curiously examine the structure.
“This resulted in a thrilling discovery. It was undoubtedly hollow and our first mate, Bill Langley, discovered a movable stone at its summit. He displaced this, and a great cavity was revealed.
“Our first thought, of course, was that it was a tomb or burial place of some extinct race. In looking into the place we would not have been surprised to have come across a heap of old bones or other such evidence.
“But what we did see was far different. Bill leaned over the aperture a while and rubbed his eyes repeatedly. Then he slid down, and said:
“ ’By jingo, mates! I’m a gallivantin’ old shark, if there ain’t a heap of gold in that ere place!’
“ ’Gold!’ I exclaimed.
“ ’With submission, sir!’
“ ’You are dreaming, man!’ I exclaimed somewhat excited. ’Do you mean it?’
“ ’Every word, skipper,’ replied Bill, solemnly. And I saw that he meant just what he said.
“This was enough for me. So I climbed upon the mound and looked in also. Something bright and yellow struck my gaze. I gave a gasp and then I cried:
“ ’Give me a rope, mates. Steady me while I go down there!’
“And with a rope around my waist I slid down into the mound. It did not require but a few moments to satisfy me that we had discovered buried treasure.
“Yes, sir, gold! Yellow, glittering stuff, enough to make us all millionaires. I own that I was near crazy at the time. There it lay in bars and ingots. All that was left was to take it away to civilization.
“I crawled out of the mound and then we all sat down and discussed the matter. There were fifteen of us.
“Bill Langley proposed a fair division. Of course this was satisfactory. Then it was decided to take the gold out of the mound.
“The gold fever was upon us; we worked like badgers at it. In a few hours we had a heap of the stuff piled up beside the mound. Then nightfall began to threaten. We suspended work, and it was decided not to return to camp, but remain on the spot until morning. There was not the remotest chance of anybody’s purloining the gold, yet all wanted to stay there.
“However, much of our necessary utensils were at the old camp. It was about three miles distant. At length Bill Langley and I decided to return for them and come back in the morning.
“So we set out for the old camp, and reached there an hour later, much fatigued. We lit a fire and sat down by it; but we could not sleep.
“All we could do was to talk about the treasure and what golden plans we could lay for the future. Midnight came and passed.
“Then I began to feel a bit drowsy, and suggested turning in; but the words hadn’t left my lips when Bill gave a quick start.
“ ’Great gunnels, mate!’ he exclaimed; ’what in the Old Harry was that?’
“The same sound came to my ears. It was a distant, monotonous boom like rolling thunder. The ground actually shook under our feet.
“Only once had I heard a similar frightful sound, and that was once during an earthquake in Panama. But was this an earthquake?
“We sprang to our feet. Bill picked up a fire brand and held it high. But we could see nothing but a few faint stars overhead. It was the blackest kind of a night.
“For a space of thirty minutes the same dull roaring and trembling continued. Then came a dead silence.
“We had about given up interest in the matter, thinking it some inexplicable phenomenon of a tropical clime, when a sudden, startling thing happened.
“A terrific boom, and a swirling, rushing mass came whooping down through the lake basin. The next moment we were picked up as if in giant arms and carried clean to the summit of the eminence beyond us, and there we clung to palm trees, wet as drowned rats.”
CHAPTER II.
FRANK MAKES A DECISION.
The captain shifted his quid again and then smiled at the earnest look in Frank’s eyes. The young inventor was intensely interested.
“How did we get wet?” interrogated the captain. “Water of course. It was all before us. It had come down upon us with the force of a hurricane.
“We waited where we were until the light of day came. Then we beheld an appalling scene. A mighty expanse of water lay before us.
“The lake had come back. The basin was full of water. Evidently it had a trick of doing this. That it was of the transient kind there was no doubt.
“I won’t attempt any theorizing or explanation of the phenomenon. I describe it to you just as it occurred. That is all. You’ll have to guess the rest.
“What of our shipmates and the gold? I don’t know. We never saw them again. We could do nothing but push on to the northward. For months we wandered until we came to a great river leading down to the Paraguay. Thence we made our way to Parana and shipped home. This is my story.”
Frank drew a deep breath.
For a moment after the captain had finished he could not speak. At length he managed to say:
“You think the gold is still at the bottom of that lake?”
“Yes.”
“And that the lake is transient, or has spells of changing its basin?”
“Just so, mate!”
Frank was thoughtful for a moment. Finally he said:
“Do you think it would be easy to find that locality again?”
“Oh, there’s the rub,” said Beere, rubbing his hands; “in my lifetime I have made six attempts and failed. But, of course, we traveled overland.”
The same thought came to each.
“Then you think the air-ship—on account of a better view of the earth, could locate it?”
“I do,” replied Nicodemus. “Now you have the whole thing in a nutshell, Frank. The moment I looked at your air-ship, I saw a possible way to visit the mysterious country and locate the Transient Lake.”
Frank Reade, Jr., seemed for a moment in a glow. His eyes shone like blazing stars, and his manner was all eagerness.
“By Jove, you have done it, Captain Nicodemus!” he declared. “I have been trying to decide upon a new trip with the Spectre, and to visit the Transient Lake is just the thing. It promises eager anticipation, excitement and thrilling adventure.”
The captain leaned over the table.
“You will go?” he asked, tensely.
“Yes,” replied Frank.
“And—will you allow me to go with you?”
“I would not think of going without you!” declared Frank.
“Thank you! I had quit the sea, and never thought to take another voyage. But a cruise in the air—that’s different, mate. When shall I report?”
“We will start within a week,” declared Frank; “it will not take long to get things in readiness. I will have Barney and Pomp put stores on board at once.”
We will not dwell upon the further