"But I am not feeling well," protested the professor.
"Then ye'd better go back," snarled Old Rocks. "You'll be more bother then good, anyhow."
"I—I can't go back through the darkness. I should lose my way. You must accompany me to the camp."
"An' waste all thet time? Wa-al, I ruther guess not! Time is too valuable just now."
"This is a terrible scrape!" fluttered Scotch. "I expect we'll all be killed before we get out of it!"
The guide seemed to hesitate, casting a sidelong look at the professor, as if he longed to get rid of the man in some way, but did not know how.
"I kin do as much erlone as I kin with ther hull o' yer," he finally said. "I reckons ye'd best all go back."
"I guess not!" cried Frank. "I am with you through thick and thin! You will remember that I found the child, and she called herself my fairy. It is my duty to help rescue her."
"Wa-al, I 'lows ye'll stick ter thet," growled Old Rocks; "an' so I'll hev ter take yer erlong."
"An' Oi'm wid him, begobs!"