The garden was well kept and comparatively free from weeds.

At first we wondered how this could be, till I remembered that the Kalubi, or someone, had told me that it was tended by the servants of the Mother of the Flower, who were generally albinos or mutes.
We crossed it and pushed on rapidly up the mountain, once more following an easy and well-beaten path, for now we saw that we were approaching what we thought must be the edge of a crater.

Indeed, our excitement was so extreme that we did not speak, only scrambled forward, Brother John, notwithstanding his lame leg, leading at a greater pace than we could equal.

He was the first to reach our goal, closely followed by Stephen.
Watching, I saw him sink down as though in a swoon.

Stephen also appeared astonished, for he threw up his hands.
I rushed to them, and this was what I saw.