With that, he led Stuart to the edge of the swiftly moving stream, and the two plunged into the current above the fallen end of the bridge. Stuart was a good swimmer, but effort was difficult for him now. Harry helped him as they floundered through.
The current carried them downward, but before they were swept too far, they had covered the distance, and their feet were slipping on the fallen roadway of the broken portion of the bridge. Harry jammed Stuart against the rail and followed him. They made their way upward to the solid pier. From then on, the bridge was shaky, but safe. Weakened though it was, the center of the structure had not yet succumbed to the swollen branch of the shallow river.
To Stuart, this last stretch was more nerve-racking than all that had gone before. Each step seemed a tremendous ordeal.
They reached the road, and Harry urged his tired companion to a coupe that was parked sidewise off the edge of the road. Stuart entered and sank exhausted beside the driver's seat. The car spun madly up the hill as Harry shot it into second gear. They were driving away, posthaste, from the scene of the misfortunes that had almost overwhelmed Stuart Bruxton. They passed the barrier across the road. Here, Harry stopped long enough to replace it.
They continued upward, and at one spot Stuart looked to see great flames surging up above the treetops on the island, far below.
The coupe shot onward until it passed the fork that came in from the right. Then Harry, with a sigh of relief, slackened speed.
His mad pace had been a wise one, for they had traveled less than half a mile before they met a rural fire truck. After it followed half a dozen automobiles, at intervals.
Harry glanced over his shoulder. Through the rear window, he could see the dull glare of the horizon.
"They'll think we've come over the open road," was his only comment. This proved to be correct, for a man hailed them from beside the road. He was standing by a car that had developed motor trouble. The vehicle was loaded with natives. Harry slowed down and looked through the window.
"Where's the fire?" came the question. "Down on the lower road?"