He refused to abandon me.
The whole wall, as far as my eye could reach, now trembled and rocked, threatening to engulf us every instant.
With a mighty effort I pulled myself together, and, followed by Bulger, darted away.
The measure of my horror was not complete.
With terrific rumblings, gurglings, hissing and groaning, the whole row of rocks now danced in violent agitation, and then, like so many gigantic balls, rolled by huge monsters at play, these boulders, propelled with fearful violence by the outburst of the volcano—as I supposed—came thundering down after our retreating forms, threatening us with a terrible death.
Bulger, running at my side, ever and anon sent out a mournful whine, as if to bid me an eternal farewell.
“Fly, Bulger! Faster, faster, good Bulger!” I called to him, as the roar and rumble of the advancing wall increased.
Now each and every boulder seemed urged on its course by some mysterious force of its own.
As I glanced over my shoulder, I could see that they were gaining in velocity, bounding, springing, now in single file, now three abreast, while the frightful and unearthly din and rumble went ever on increasing.
They were gaining upon us.