But while I now understand how your sun goes over the whole of Alpha, I cannot see how it returns.""Then you have not heard of the great tunnel of the Sun," replied the Alphian.
"No,what is it?"
"It runs beneath Alpha and connects the rising and setting points of the sun. There is a point beneath the king's palace where, by a staircase, the king and his officers may go down and inspect the sun as it is on its way back to the east during the day.""Wonderful!"
"And once a year a royal party goes in the sun over its entire course. It is said that it is sumptuously furnished inside, and not too warm, the lights being only innumerable small ones on the outside."The two men were silent for a moment then Johnston said:
"Perhaps we might be able to get into it unobserved and be thus carried over to the other side, or reach the palace through the tunnel."Branasko started convulsively, and then, as he looked into the earnest eyes of the American, he said despondently:
"We have got to die, anyway; it may be well for us to think of it;but on the other side, in the Barrens, there is no more chance for escape than here. But the adventure would at least give us something to think about; let's try it.""All right; but how can we get down there where the sun starts to rise?" asked the American, peering cautiously over the edge of the hole.
"There must be some way," answered Branasko. "Ah, see! further to the left there are some ledges; let's see what can be done that way.""I am with you."
The rays of the departing sun were almost gone, and the electric lights down among the machinery seemed afar off like stars reflected in deep water. With great difficulty the two men lowered themselves from one sharp ledge to another till they had gone half down to the bottom.
"It is no use," said Branasko, peering over the lowest ledge.
"There are no more ledges and this one juts out so far that even if there were smaller ones beneath we could not get to them.""That is true," agreed the American, "but look, is not that a lake beneath? I think it must be, for the lights are reflected on its surface.""You are right," answered Branasko; "and I now see a chance for us to get down safely.""How?"
"The workers are too far from the lake to see us; we can drop into the water and swim ashore.""Would they not hear the splashing of our bodies?""I think not; but first let's experiment with a big stone."Suiting the action to the word, they secured a stone weighing about seventy-five pounds and brought it to the ledge. Carefully poising it in mid-air, they let it go. Down it went, cutting the air with a sharp whizzing sound. They listened breathlessly, but heard no sound as the rock struck the water, and the men among the machinery seemed undisturbed. Only the widening circles of rings on the lake's surface indicated where the stone had fallen.
"Good," ejaculated the Alphian; "are you equal to such a plunge?
The water must be deep, and we won't be hurt at all if only we can keep our feet downward and hold our breath long enough. Our clothing will soon dry down there, for feel the warmth that comes from below."The Alphian slowly crawled out on the sharpest projection of the ledge. "Are you willing to try it?" he asked, over his shoulder.
"Yes."
"Well, wait till you see me swim ashore, and then follow."Johnston shuddered as the strong fellow swung himself over the ledge and hung downward.
"Adieu," said Branasko, and he let go. Down he fell, as straight as an arrow, into the shadows below. For an instant Johnston heard the fluttering of the fellow's clothing as he fell through the darkness, and then there was no sound except the low whirr of the cables and the monotonous hum of the great wheels beneath. Then the smooth surface of the lake was broken in a white foaming spot, and, later, he saw something small and dark slowly swimming shoreward. It was Branasko, and the men to the right had not heard or seen him.
Johnston saw him reach the shore, then he crawled out to the point of the projecting rock and tremblingly lowered himself till he hung downward as Branasko had done. He had just drawn a deep breath preparatory to letting go his hold, when, chancing to look down, he saw a long narrow barge slowly emerging from the cliff directly under him. For an instant he was so much startled that he almost lost his grip on the rock. He tried to climb back on the ledge, but his strength was gone. He felt that he could not hold out till the boat had passed. Death was before him, and a horrible one. The boat seemed to crawl. Everything was a blur before his eyes. His fingers began to relax, and with a low cry he fell.
