words,--

"Where are you, sir? This way."

"Here! Who is it?" cried Oliver, hoarsely. "Smith?"

"Ay, ay, sir! Both on us. Me and Billy Wriggs. Hah! I got yer.
Three cheers, Billy, and give it throat. Why, we began to think you was
nabbed by the niggers or else drown dead."

"Success to yer, sir," came in a hoarse voice. "Wait till we gets him
out, Tommy, and then we'll cheer, ho!"

"Mr Panton--Mr Drew--the others?" cried Oliver, as he clung to the man
who had grasped him by the arms.

"Oh, they're all right, sir."

"Nay, nay, speak the truth, Tommy," growled Wriggs, whose hoarse voice
sounded awful in the black echoing darkness.

"Don't you be so nation tickler, Billy," cried the other angrily.
"Well, they aren't quite all right, being as you may say regular washed
out, but they've all alive 'o!"

"Far as we knows, sir," interposed Wriggs. "But you step forrard, sir,
and lets get out o' this here waterworks' pipe."

"Is--is it far to the light?" asked Oliver.

"Not it, sir. Clost here."

"Speak the truth, Tommy, speak the truth," growled Wriggs.

"You won't be happy, Billy, till I gives you one on the nose. Well,
sir, it aren't so werry far, an' fore long you'll be able to see the
light a shinin' in, where Billy here stood up to his knees a ketchin' on
us all as we come down stream, and settin' on us all in a row, on a bit
of a shelf to dry a bit, 'fore we went any furder."

"You helped, Tommy."

"Well, yes, soon as I'd let about two barrels o' water run out o' me."

"Speak the truth, Tommy."

"Oh, well, one barrel, then," cried Smith, angrily. "I'll say half a
pannikin, if you like. Yes, sir, I helped a bit, and counted us as we
was ketched, and then as you didn't come, Billy and me come arter yer
and here yer are."

"Which is the truth, Tommy, lad, so stick to that."

They journeyed on till there was a faint dawn of light on ahead, which
grew lighter and lighter as they waded forward, till the water, lava and
pumice of the arched-over roof became visible. Then there was a hail
which was answered, and at last in the twilight the figures of their
comrades could be seen seated on the lava edge of the subterranean
river, one standing in the middle, evidently gazing anxiously toward the
inner portions of the cavern.

In all thankfulness hands were grasped, and then the party waded on,
wash, wash with the rapid stream, now not knee deep. The light grew
stronger and stronger, till at