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           MeanwhileTophadreturnedathismaster’scall,andhadregainedtheshore:buthecouldnotstayquiet;heplungedinamongthetallgrass,andguidedbyinstinct,heappearedtofollowsomeinvisiblebeingwhichwasslippingalongunderthesurfaceofthewater.Howeverthewaterwascalm;notarippledisturbeditssurface.Severaltimesthesettlersstoppedonthebank,andobserveditattentively.Nothingappeared.Therewassomemysterythere.

           Theengineerwaspuzzled.

           "Letuspursuethisexplorationtotheend,"saidhe.

           Halfanhouraftertheyhadallarrivedatthesoutheastangleofthelake,onProspectHeights.Atthispointtheexaminationofthebanksofthelakewasconsideredfinished,andyettheengineerhadnotbeenabletodiscoverhowandwherethewatersweredischarged."Thereisnodoubtthisoverflowexists,"herepeated,andsinceitisnotvisibleitmustgothroughthegranitecliffatthewest!"

           "Butwhatimportancedoyouattachtoknowingthat,mydearCyrus?"askedGideonSpilett.

           "Considerableimportance,"repliedtheengineer;"forifitflowsthroughthecliffthereisprobablysomecavity,whichitwouldbeeasytorenderhabitableafterturningawaythewater."

           "Butisitnotpossible,captain,thatthewaterflowsawayatthebottomofthelake,"saidHerbert,"andthatitreachestheseabysomesubterraneanpassage?"

           "Thatmightbe,"repliedtheengineer,"andshoulditbesoweshallbeobligedtobuildourhouseourselves,sincenaturehasnotdoneitforus."