"Ay, ay," said Brand, gruffly, "we've to think that we may be food for fishes!"
"Do you not believe we can reach the volcanic island, now?" inquired Mary, as she glanced towards the red light, gleaming, far away, along the waters.
"It's hard tellin'," answered Brand. "If there's no heavy sea and we can make head against the southern tendency of the current, we may contrive to reach the island."
With their poles which were not flat enough for paddles, the party made slow progress.
An hour had passed, when, suddenly, Mary pointed far astern towards a long, dark object, apparently shooting out from the shore.
"What is that?"
"A canoe, by ——!" ejaculated Brand. "We may as well give up, now!"
"No!" exclaimed Harry, resolutely. "We will not give up! If I mistake not," he added, pointing towards a dark mass, floating through the air to windward of them, "there is a fog coming up! This will screen us from our pursuers!"
"I am glad of that," said Mary, thankfully.