Elwood was in ecstasies. The triumphant light in his eyes, when he turned round and looked at his friend, was a thing to see.
"You confounded, wretched old grumbler," he exclaimed, "what have you to say now? Is not _this_ worth coming for? Or is it that even _this_ will not suit you? Perhaps it is all too bright, the water too blue, the flowers too highly coloured, or"--here a most delicious scent was wafted across from some of the flowers--"they are perfumed too highly to please you! You haven't found fault with anything yet, and we have been here nearly five minutes!"
Jack laughed; and Leonard noticed that it was more like his old, easy, good-natured laugh.
"I think you are too severe upon me, Leonard," he replied. "Don't you think so, Monella?"
Monella, the while, had been standing gazing on the scene like one in a dream. More than once he passed his hand across his eyes in a confused way, as though to make sure he was awake. When thus addressed, however, he seemed to rouse himself, and, without noticing the bantering question that had been addressed to him, and, extending one hand slowly towards the valley that lay before them, said,
"I praise Heaven that I have been led, after many days, to the land that I have seen in my visions. _Now_ do I begin to understand why they were sent. And you too, my son," he added, looking at Leonard, "you have had your visions and your dreams. Tell me, does this not remind you of them?"
[Illustration: "A SCENE THAT WAS GRATEFULLY REFRESHING." [_Page 72._]
"Indeed it does," returned Leonard seriously. "Though, till you spoke of it, I had not thought of it. I felt so glad to think we had been successful so far, and that your expectations were being justified. It is all very strange."
"I am out of all that," observed Jack, with a comical mixture of offended dignity and good-natured condescension. "You dreamers of dreams have the best of such beings as I am. _You_ are led on by visions of what is in store for you, as it would seem, while _I_ have to work in the dark, and follow others blindly, and----"
"And think of nothing but how best you can serve and protect your friends," said Monella, looking at him with a kindly smile. "We are not all alike, my friend. It is not given to all to 'dream dreams,' any more than it is given to all to have true manly courage combined with almost womanly affection for those they call their friends. We three have little to boast of as between one another, I fancy. Would it were so more often where three friends are found grouped together or associated in any undertaking. But now to consider what is next to be done. It seems to me we could not have a better place for our head-quarters in our future explorations than this cavern. Here we have all we want: shelter from rain, and sun, water--pretty well all we could ask for. We must see about getting our things along here." He paused for a moment and then continued, "On second thoughts I see no reason why you should not remain here. There is no more baggage than the Indians can carry amongst them, and that is all we have to trouble about. I will go back, and you two stay here."