"Quite correct, David. Are you frightened?"

"I do not know. It all has come so suddenly that I scarce believe

that either of us realizes the real terrors of our position. I feel

that I should be reduced to panic; but yet I am not. I imagine that

the shock has been so great as to partially stun our sensibilities."

Again I turned to the thermometer. The mercury was rising with less

rapidity. It was now but 140 degrees, although we had penetrated

to a depth of nearly four miles. I told Perry, and he smiled.

"We have shattered one theory at least," was his only comment, and

then he returned to his self-assumed occupation of fluently cursing

the steering wheel. I once heard a pirate swear, but his best

efforts would have seemed like those of a tyro alongside of Perry's

masterful and scientific imprecations.

Once more I tried my hand at the wheel, but I might as well have

essayed to swing the earth itself. At my suggestion Perry stopped

the generator, and as we came to rest I again threw all my strength

into a supreme effort to move the thing even a hair's breadth--but

the results were as barren as when we had been traveling at top

speed.

I shook my head sadly, and motioned to the starting lever. Perry

pulled it toward him, and once again we were plunging downward

toward eternity at the rate of seven miles an hour. I sat with my

eyes glued to the thermometer and the distance meter. The mercury

was rising very slowly now, though even at 145 degrees it was almost

unbearable within the narrow confines of our metal prison.

About noon, or twelve hours after our start upon this unfortunate

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