when Servadac announced to them the discovery of their future domicile;

and with requickened energies they labored hard at packing,
anxious to reach their genial winter quarters without delay.

For three successive days the _Dobryna_, laden to her very gunwale,
made a transit to and fro. Ben Zoof was left upon the island

to superintend the stowage of the freight, whilst Servadac found
abundant occupation in overlooking its disposal within the recesses

of the mountain. First of all, the large store of corn and fodder,
the produce of the recent harvest, was landed and deposited in one

of the vaults; then, on the 15th, about fifty head of live cattle--
bullocks, cows, sheep, and pigs--were conveyed to their rocky stalls.

These were saved for the sake of preserving the several breeds,
the bulk of the island cattle being slaughtered, as the extreme

severity of the climate insured all meat remaining fresh for almost
an indefinite period. The winter which they were expecting would

probably be of unprecedented length; it was quite likely that it
would exceed the six months' duration by which many arctic explorers

have been tried; but the population of Gallia had no anxiety in
the matter of provisions--their stock was far more than adequate;

while as for drink, as long as they were satisfied with pure water,
a frozen sea would afford them an inexhaustible reservoir.

The need for haste in forwarding their preparations became more
and more manifest; the sea threatened to be un-navigable very soon,

as ice was already forming which the noonday sun was unable to melt.
And if haste were necessary, so also were care, ingenuity, and forethought.

It was indispensable that the space at their command should be
properly utilized, and yet that the several portions of the store

should all be readily accessible.
On further investigation an unexpected number of galleries

was discovered, so that, in fact, the interior of the mountain
was like a vast bee-hive perforated with innumerable cells;

and in compliment to the little Italian it was unanimously voted
by the colony that their new home should be called "Nina's Hive."

The first care of Captain Servadac was to ascertain how he could
make the best possible use of the heat which nature had

provided for them so opportunely and with so lavish a hand.
By opening fresh vents in the solid rock (which by the action

of the heat was here capable of fissure) the stream
of burning lava was diverted into several new channels,

where it could be available for daily use; and thus Mochel,
the _Dobryna's_ cook, was furnished with an admirable kitchen,

provided with a permanent stove, where he was duly installed
with all his culinary apparatus.

"What a saving of expense it would be," exclaimed Ben Zoof, "if every
household could be furnished with its own private volcano!"

The large cavern at the general junction of the galleries was fitted up
as a drawing-room, and arranged with all the best furniture both of the gourbi

and of the cabin of the _Dobryna_. Hither was also brought the schooner's
library, containing a good variety of French and Russian books; lamps were

suspended over the different tables; and the walls of the apartment were
tapestried with the sails and adorned with the flags belonging to the yacht.

The curtain of fire extending over the opening of the cavern provided it,
as already stated, with light and heat.

The torrent of lava fell into a small rock-bound basin that had no apparent
communication with the sea, and was evidently the aperture of a deep abyss,

of which the waters, heated by the descent of the eruptive matter,
would no doubt retain their liquid condition long after the Gallian Sea

had become a sheet of ice.
A small excavation to the left of the common hall was allotted

for the special use of Servadac and the count; another on
the right was appropriated to the lieutenant and Ben Zoof;

whilst a third recess, immediately at the back, made a convenient
little chamber for Nina. The Spaniards and the Russian sailors

took up their sleeping-quarters in the adjacent galleries,
and found the temperature quite comfortable.

Such were the internal arrangements of Nina's Hive, the refuge
where the little colony were full of hope that they would be able

to brave the rigors of the stern winter-time that lay before them--
a winter-time during which Gallia might possibly be projected even

to the orbit of Jupiter, where the temperature would not exceed
one twenty-fifth of the normal winter temperature of the earth.

The only discontented spirit was Isaac Hakkabut. Throughout all
the preparations which roused even the Spaniards to activity, the Jew,

still incredulous and deaf to every representation of the true state
of things, insisted upon remaining in the creek at Gourbi Island;

nothing could induce him to leave his tartan, where, like a miser,
he would keep guard over his precious cargo, ever grumbling

and growling, but with his weather-eye open in the hope of catching
sight of some passing sail. It must be owned that the whole

party were far from sorry to be relieved of his presence;
his uncomely figure and repulsive countenance was a perpetual bugbear.

He had given out in plain terms that he did not intend to part
with any of his property, except for current money, and Servadac,

equally resolute, had strictlyforbidden any purchases to be made,
hoping to wear out the rascal's obstinacy.

Hakkabut persistently refused to credit the real situation;
he could not absolutely deny that some portions of the terrestrial

globe had undergone a certain degree of modification, but nothing could
bring him to believe that he was not, sooner or later, to r锟絪um?his

old line of business in the Mediterranean. With his wonted distrust
of all with whom he came in contact, he regarded every argument

that was urged upon him only as evidence of a plot that had been
devised to deprive him of his goods. Repudiating, as he did utterly,

the hypothesis that a fragment had become detached from the earth,
he scanned the horizon for hours together with an old telescope,

the case of which had been patched up till it looked like a rusty
stove-pipe, hoping to descry the passing trader with which he might

effect some bartering upon advantageous terms.
At first he professed to regard the proposed removal into

winter-quarters as an attempt to impose upon his credulity;
but the frequent voyages made by the _Dobryna_ to the south,

and the repeated consignments of corn and cattle, soon served
to make him aware that Captain Servadac and his companions

were really contemplating a departure from Gourbi Island.
The movement set him thinking. What, he began to ask himself--

what if all that was told him was true? What if this sea was no
longer the Mediterranean? What if he should never again behold his

German fatherland? What if his marts for business were gone for ever?
A vague idea of ruin began to take possession of his mind:

he must yield to necessity; he must do the best he could.
As the result of his cogitations, he occasionally left his tartan

and made a visit to the shore. At length he endeavored to mingle
with the busy group, who were hurrying on their preparations;

but his advances were only met by jeers and scorn, and, ridiculed by
all the rest, he was fain to turn his attention to Ben Zoof,

to whom he offered a few pinches of tobacco.
"No, old Zebulon," said Ben Zoof, steadily refusing the gift,

"it is against orders to take anything from you.
Keep your cargo to yourself; eat and drink it all if you can;

we are not to touch it."
Finding the subordinates incorruptible, Isaac determined

to go to the fountain-head. He addressed himself to Servadac,
and begged him to tell him the whole truth, piteously adding

that surely it was unworthy of a French officer to deceive
a poor old man like himself.

"Tell you the truth, man!" cried Servadac. "Confound it, I have
told you the truth twenty times. Once for all, I tell you now,

you have left yourself barely time enough to make your escape
to yonder mountain."

"God and Mahomet have mercy on me!" muttered the Jew, whose creed
frequently assumed a very ambiguous character.

"I will tell you what," continued the captain--"you shall have a few
men to work the _Hansa_ across, if you like."

"But I want to go to Algiers," whimpered Hakkabut.
"How often am I to tell you that Algiers is no longer in existence?

Only say yes or no--are you coming with us into winter-quarters?"
"God of Israel! what is to become of all my property?"

"But, mind you," continued the captain, not heeding the interruption,
"if you do not choose voluntarily to come with us, I shall

have the _Hansa_, by my orders, removed to a place of safety.