"We couldn't have turned in the ice stratum, Perry, I know as well
as you," I replied; "but the fact remains that we did, for here we
are this minute at the surface of the earth again, and I am going
out to see just where."
"Better wait till morning, David--it must be midnight now."
I glanced at the chronometer.
"Half after twelve. We have been out seventy-two hours, so it
must be midnight. Nevertheless I am going to have a look at the
blessed sky that I had given up all hope of ever seeing again,"
and so saying I lifted the bars from the inner door, and swung it
open. There was quite a quantity of loose material in the jacket,
and this I had to remove with a shovel to get at the opposite door
in the outer shell.
In a short time I had removed enough of the earth and rock to the
floor of the cabin to expose the door beyond. Perry was directly
behind me as I threw it open. The upper half was above the surface
of the ground. With an expression of surprise I turned and looked
at Perry--it was broad daylight without!
"Something seems to have gone wrong either with our calculations
or the chronometer," I said. Perry shook his head--there was a
strange expression in his eyes.
"Let's have a look beyond that door, David," he cried.
Together we stepped out to stand in silent contemplation of a
landscape at once weird and beautiful. Before us a low and level
shore stretched down to a silent sea. As far as the eye could reach
the surface of the water was dotted with countless tiny isles--some
of towering, barren, granitic rock--others resplendent in gorgeous
trappings of tropical vegetation, myriad starred with the magnificent
splendor of vivid blooms.
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