Chapter XXV: The Island Sinks

From the crater of the volcano a great mass of flame and smoke belched toward the sky. At the peak rivers were forming, rivers of molten lava, which, even as Bomba looked, began to flow down the sides of the mountain in every direction.

The fearful explosions still continued, and with every one, that dreadful column of flame mounted higher and the rivers of redhot lava increased in volume. The earth was rocking in the throes of an earthquake.

While Bomba was still trying to gather his wits together and determine what he should do, the house of Japazy split apart. Half of it went down in a deafening crash, and the other half, in which Bomba’s room was located, swayed crazily, threatening at every instant to fall to the ground.

Bomba slung his bow over his shoulder and rushed to the picture hanging on the wall. He took it down--even in that moment of frenzied haste he handled it reverently--and slipped the cord by which it had been suspended about his neck, covering the picture under the puma skin that stretched across his breast.

If he were doomed to die in this terrible cataclysm, he would die with that picture next his heart!

He glanced down the corridor and saw that it was blocked with debris. His only exit was the window. Luckily, it was not more than twelve feet from the ground, and Bomba dropped down safely.

He was not a moment too soon, for he had barely got out of reach before the rest of the building fell. The dwelling of Japazy, that had witnessed nobody knew how many grim tragedies, was now in ruins.

In the dim dawn that was coming up in the eastern sky, Bomba could see that most of the other houses in the town had shared the same fate. People were rushing about in fright, men, women and children, fleeing they knew not where, their only thought to get away from the fiery rivers of lava that were now pouring down rapidly toward the doomed town.

The earth was opening in great rents, which sometimes widened and at other times snapped shut, engulfing houses, trees and sometimes hapless human beings, whose screams of terror were dreadful to hear.

Apart from these more spectacular demonstrations of the unchained forces of nature, there was a sense of gradual sinking that was sickening and ominous in the extreme.

No one paid any attention to Bomba, so engrossed was every one in trying to find a path to safety.

The lad sniffed the air as a pointer does to get his sense of direction. Then, when he knew that he was headed for the north end of the island, he plunged into the woods and went as straight as an arrow to his goal.

There was terrible need for haste, as the rivers of lava were now pouring into the woods, blasting into ashes whatever they touched. If one of those rivers intercepted his path, it would be impossible to cross it.

The air was like that from a furnace, and Bomba was drenched with sweat as he made his way through the jungle. Showers of hot ashes were falling all about him. Great forest trees lay athwart his path, hurled to the ground as though they had been saplings.

Over and over came those deafening roars that seemed to split his eardrums, and ever the rivers of lava swelled in volume. The hot blasts that came from them scorched his throat and lungs and seared his eyes. He felt as though he were moving in a nightmare.

Now he was not alone. On every side the jungle was full of fleeing animals and reptiles. There were hundreds of them, the jaguars which had given the island its name, boa constrictors, dragging their huge lengths through the brush, jararacas, cooanaradis.

They brushed against Bomba, bumped into him, but not one of them gave him the slightest attention. Every hostile and venomous instinct was swallowed up in panic, in the terror to escape. They did not know where they were going. They did not care. All they thought of was to get away from that roaring mountain, from those terrible rivers of fire that threatened to overwhelm them.

Unexpectedly Bomba found himself on the edge of the river, the same surging, turbulent stream that had brought him to Jaguar Island. He was surprised at this, as he had calculated that he had at least a mile further to go before he reached its banks.

And then he knew!

The river was creeping inland. It had already covered the ground to the width of a mile. The island was sinking!

With frantic haste Bomba gathered together three logs, tore some creepers from the trees and lashed the logs together. Even in the brief time it took him to do this the water had deepened until it was up to his neck.

He pulled himself up on the rude and fragile raft and committed himself to the river. Soon the logs were in the grip of the current where they tossed about so violently that Bomba could not keep his feet. He threw himself flat and with his hands through interstices of the logs held on for his life.

He had little fear this time of the caymans. They themselves would be cowering with terror at this phenomenon that was shaking the bed of the stream as well as the dry land above its level. They would make no hostile move. Even the jaguars, whose heads now dotted the stream everywhere, could swim to the mainland without any danger from an attack by the alligators.

The current carried the raft toward the further side of the river, and before long it struck heavily against a jutting point of land. With one spring Bomba landed on the point, and a moment later stood safe on the fringe of the jungle.

As he looked toward the island there came a stupendous crash that dwarfed everything that had preceded. Once more Tamura belched forth a great torrent of flame. Then the whole island sank out of sight and where it had been were only miles of widely tossing waters.

Bomba viewed the terrible spectacle with awe and consternation. The island where he had hoped to learn so much no longer existed.

But he was safe! His life had been spared--and that counted for much.

Then another comforting thought came to him. The island of Japazy had sunk. But, as far as he knew, Japazy himself still lived. He would find the half-breed yet.

What fruit was borne by that determination will be seen in the next volumes of this series: “Bomba the Jungle Boy in the Abandoned City; or, A Treasure Ten Thousand Years Old.”

“Japazy still lives,” murmured Bomba to himself. “Bomba will seek him out.”

He took reverently from beneath the puma skin the portrait of the lovely woman. Again those beautiful eyes looked into his.

“Mother,” he whispered. “Mother!”

His eyes blurred. He pressed his lips to the picture and replaced it next his heart.

Then he struck into the jungle.

THE END

THE BOMBA BOOKS

By ROY ROCKWOOD

_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. With Colored jacket._

_Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents additional._

_Bomba lived far back in the jungles of the Amazon with a half-demented naturalist who told the lad nothing of his past. The jungle boy was a lover of birds, and hunted animals with a bow and arrow and his trusty machete. He had only a primitive education, and his daring adventures will be followed with breathless interest by thousands._

1. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY
2. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE MOVING MOUNTAIN
3. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AT THE GIANT CATARACT
4. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON JAGUAR ISLAND
5. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN THE ABANDONED CITY
6. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON TERROR TRAIL
7. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN THE SWAMP OF DEATH
8. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AMONG THE SLAVES
9. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY ON THE UNDERGROUND RIVER
10. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE LOST EXPLORERS
11. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY IN A STRANGE LAND
12. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AMONG THE PYGMIES
13. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE CANNIBALS
14. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE PAINTED HUNTERS
15. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE RIVER DEMONS
16. BOMBA THE JUNGLE BOY AND THE HOSTILE CHIEFTAIN

These books may be purchased wherever books are sold

_Send for Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York

THE BOB DEXTER SERIES

By WILLARD F. BAKER

Author of “THE BOY RANCHERS SERIES”

_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in colors. Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents additional._

_This is a new line of stories for boys, by the author of the Boy Ranchers series. The Bob Dexter books are detective stories, yet they are without the objectionable features of the impossible characters and absurd situations that mark so many of the books in that class. These stories deal with the up-to-date adventures of a normal, healthy lad who has a great desire to solve mysteries, and the volumes relate in an entertaining way how he does it._

1. BOB DEXTER AND THE CLUBHOUSE MYSTERY _or The Missing Golden
Eagle_

This story tells how the Boys’ Athletic Club was despoiled of its trophies in a strange manner, and how, among other things stolen, was the Golden Eagle mascot.

2. BOB DEXTER AND THE BEACON BEACH MYSTERY _or The Wreck of the Sea
Hawk_

When Bob and his chum went to Beacon Beach for their vacation, they were plunged into a strange series of events, not the least of which was the sinking of the Sea Hawk.

3. BOB DEXTER AND THE STORM MOUNTAIN MYSTERY _or The Secret of the
Log Cabin_

Bob Dexter came upon a man mysteriously injured and befriended him, which led Bob into the midst of a series of strange events.

4. BOB DEXTER AND THE AEROPLANE MYSTERY _or The Secret of the Jint
San_

Bob and his chums witness the mysterious disappearance of an aeroplane and find excitement in their exploration of an unknown cave.

5. BOB DEXTER AND THE SEAPLANE MYSTERY _or The Secret of the White
Stones_

Bob Dexter, while on a vacation, captures a band of criminals, and solves a mystery in which millions of dollars in gems and jewelry had been stolen.

6. BOB DEXTER AND THE RED AUTO MYSTERY _or The Secret of the Flying
Car_

A story of a mysterious red auto is packed with many hair-raising adventures. Bob comes to the rescue and captures the criminals.

7. BOB DEXTER AND THE RADIO MYSTERY _or The Secret of the
Counterfeiters_

When Bob and his chums resolve to clear up a baffling mystery they do it with many narrow escapes.

These books may be purchased wherever books are sold

_Send for Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York

THE GREAT ACE SERIES

By NOËL SAINSBURY, JR.

Author of THE CHAMPION SPORT STORIES

_12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in colors._

_Price 50 cents per volume. Postage 10 cents additional._

_Here is a series of rattling good flying stories told by an expert. A boy-aviator’s adventures in the wilds of New Guinea, Arabia, South America and other strange lands. Billy Smith, son of an eminent explorer, learns to pilot a seaplane aboard a Naval Air Station, and immediately fares forth upon a series of the most exciting cruises and mysterious quests by air, by land and by sea that have ever fallen to the lot of man. The author, a traveller and ex-naval aviator, brings many of his own adventures into these tales. Every boy with a drop of red blood in his veins will want to join Billy Smith in his thrilling quests._

1. BILLY SMITH--EXPLORING ACE
_or By Airplane to New Guinea_

The story of a fourteen-year-old lad, taught to pilot a seaplane by his uncle, Lieut.-Commander on a Naval Air Station. Together they are forced down at sea, and Lieut.-Com. Smith is so impressed with the lad’s courage in this trying situation that he takes Billy with him to New Guinea to help search for Billy’s father.

2. BILLY SMITH--SECRET SERVICE ACE
_or Airplane Adventures in Arabia_

Billy Smith again proves his mettle in a series of adventures that take him to Port Sudan on the Red Sea and the Holy City of Hejaz.

3. BILLY SMITH--MYSTERY ACE
_or Airplane Discoveries in South America_

Doctor Stanton, bird man of the Natural History Museum disappeared in the Amazon Jungles. The Smiths, father and son are ordered to find him, and the trail leads to an outpost rubber plantation, where Billy is lost in the jungle and captured by the cannibal Mangeroma Indians.

4. BILLY SMITH--TRAIL EATER ACE
_or Into the Wilds of Northern Alaska_

Another exciting story. Billy Smith and his pal, Nuky, with the aid of Billy’s father set a trap to catch desperate gangsters which they succeed in doing after many thrilling adventures.

5. BILLY SMITH--SHANGHAIED ACE
_or Malay Pirates and Solomon Island Cannibals_

Billy shanghaied while on a search for a missing steamer and one passenger in particular, escapes in time to be of vast help, after all, and bring off a famous rescue in the South Sea Islands.

These books may be purchased wherever books are sold

_Send for Our Free Illustrated Catalogue_

CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers New York

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

Archaic or variant spelling has been retained.