It seemed as if a crowd of winged genii, carrying each a lamp, were floating about in that enchanted cavern.

When they vanished, I threw in some more lighted hay, which blazed in such a lively manner, that I knew all danger was over from the gas; but, for fear of deep pits, or pools of water, I would not venture in without lights.

I therefore despatched Jack, on his buffalo, to report this discovery to his mother, and bring all the candles she had made.

I purposely sent Jack on the errand, for his lively and poetic turn of mind would, I hoped, invest the grotto with such charms, that his mother would even abandon her wheel to come and see it.
[Illustration: "This succeeded well; a great explosion agitated the air--a torrent of the carbonic acid gas rushed through the opening."] Delighted with his commission, Jack leaped upon his buffalo, and, waving his whip, galloped off with an intrepidity that made my hair stand on end.

During his absence, Fritz and I enlarged the opening, to make it easy of access, removed all the rubbish, and swept a road for mamma.