The latter turned aside his head, trembling like an aspen as he recalled to mind the apparition he had seen among the trees.
"Accidents will happen," he said, in a husky voice.
"Well," continued Turk, "now that we have so far got clear of them infarnal blackskins, I trust and hope that we may contrive to get away from the island without seein' 'em, or, at any rate, before we are swallowed up in fire!"
At that moment, far ahead of them, they beheld the stranger, his face still screened by the broad leaf, beckoning to them.
So he had not deserted them, after all.
"We'd better follow him," said Turk, "as he seems to know every part of this island. To my thinkin', he'll get us out of this scrape, if it's possible to get out!"
The advice was followed.
The strange guide led the party along the narrow path with great celerity, until they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff.
By this time the whole island presented an appearance at once, wild and fearful.
The showers of fire from the mountain were increased ten-fold; the island rocked like a cradle. Every part of it seemed lighted with a ghastly radiance. A red mist hovered over it rolling along, volume upon volume.