st self, and from that minute he grew calm and
cool once more. Feeling about a little over the face of the rock as he
turned to it, he found a place where he could seat himself and rest for
a time. And now he knew well enough that he must be facing the stream,
and that all he had to do to reach the entrance was that which he had
bidden his companions do, creep along by the side, and dip in his hand
from time to time, so as to keep in touch with the water.

"As a last resource," he said, softly, "as a last resource," and then he
began to think of how necessary this would be, should he have to seek
the daylight alone, for he recalled how, though the place was a mere
passage at times through which the lava stream flowed, there were spots
where it opened out into vast halls, whose sides and roof were beyond
the reach of the artificial light they had used, and in these places he
knew he might easily lose himself and with this loss might fail in his
nerve, and perhaps go mad with horror.

He shuddered at the thought as he recalled the sensation through which
he had fought his way, and determining to be firm and strong, he turned
his attention away from his own sufferings to those of the man for whose
sake he had stayed.

"And it was to help him and give him encouragement that I stopped," he
said to himself, with a feeling of hot indignation against his weakness.
"Then I must not stay here, but go back towards where we missed him."

He sat thinking for a few moments as to his plans, and then, feeling
certain that when help came, those who returned would follow right on,
he concluded that it would be better to go back to the junction of the
two streams once more, and stay there, striving from time to time, in
spite of the deafening noise, to make the lost man hear.

"It will encourage him, for I will not believe he's dead," said Oliver
aloud, and then, in spite of himself he shivered, for his voice went
echoing strangely along the great hollow. But he mastered this
unpleasant feeling, and determining to be strong, he raised his voice
and uttered a loud "Ahoy," listening directly after to the wonderful
echoes, which seemed to fly in all directions, repeating and blurring
each other as it were, into a strange confusion till the last one died
out.

"Not pleasant," thought Oliver, as he listened, and then when all was
silent once more he made a start for the river's edge, and reaching it
began to follow it down. This, by