“Don’t stop to look back,” cried Mr Raydon. “Press on, men; press on. Keep together.”
I thought of the consequences of one of our party losing his way ever so little, and the men knew it only too well as they kept together in a little crowd which was constantly being broken up and separated by the trees round which they threaded their way.
“Is there much more of this?” said Barker, suddenly appearing close to us.
“Yes,” replied Mr Raydon; “miles.”
“Shall we do it?” he panted.
“With God’s help,” was Raydon’s quiet reply; and I saw Barker set his teeth hard, and throw his gun further over his shoulder as he bent down to his task.
The narrow gate of the valley at last; and as we filed through the opening I wondered whether it would tend to check the advance of the fire, and began to wonder whether the trees were much thinner on the higher side. But I felt that they were not, and that it would be long enough before we struggled on to a place where we could be in safety; while what seemed directly after, there was a deafening roar which I knew to be that of the flames closed up by the narrow way, and leaping after us now, as if in dread that we should escape.
“Man down!” shouted a voice; and in the horrible selfishness of their fear the rest were passing on, but at a word from Mr Raydon four of his men seized the poor exhausted fellow, each taking an arm or leg, and bearing him on, while a few drops were trickled from a flask between his lips.
“Man down!” was shouted again; and this time the retreating party seized the poor fellow, following the example of our men, and bore him on, while he was submitted to the same treatment.
Ten minutes after the poor fellows were on their feet again, struggling on with the support of the arms of two of their fellows.