speak, and then go to bed with--"

So elated did Day get with the idea that he clapped his hands together,
and sprang into the air, cutting antics of the most singular kind. While
he was thus expressing his gratitude, and even while his face was
teeming with pleasure, I saw a wonderful change come over it. He stopped
speaking, and muttered,--

"D----n 'em; now they have done it, and no mistake!"

"What is the matter, Day?" asked Mr. Brown, rather sternly, thinking the
remark was applied to us.

The shepherd pointed with his hand in the direction of the main land,
and one look was sufficient to convince us that the threat which Sam had
uttered was no idle one, for a cloud of black smoke was issuing from the
trees, not in one place alone, but in fifty, and before we could recover
from our astonishment, a sheet of flame darted from the woods, and
gathering headway as it crept along, seized upon the dry grass, and
rapidly approached the peninsula.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

THE ESCAPE FROM THE FIRE.

All the troubles through which we had passed were mere child's play
compared to our situation at the present time, for a forest on fire was
a danger that was calculated to test our energies to the utmost if we
expected to escape with whole skins and our lives. For a few minutes,
therefore, we were overwhelmed and speechless, and gazed into each
other's faces for counsel. Our first thoughts were that we could remain
on the island and escape the fury of the flames, and so we might have
done had we possessed water sufficient to quench not only our own thirst
but that of the animals. A moment's reflection, however, convinced us
that we could not exist for half a day where we were, with a scorching
sun overhead and a roaring fire in front, and that, if we intended to
escape, we must begin to make preparations without delay, as every
second the flames increased and extended on all sides.

"Pocket the gold," shouted Day, setting us an example with his share.
"We will try and save that and our own lives, but as for the rest of the
baggage we must leave it behind."

We were not backward in filling our pockets with the dust and coins and
by the time we had secured the last scale Day was saddling the horses
and putting on their bridles.

"We can never get the animals through the fire," Mr. Brown said, well
knowing the reluctance with which horses approach flames.

"I've thought of that," responded Day, "and intend to cover the