We were all too busy to attend to the wretch, and merely glanced towards him occasionally, to see if his bonds held; but Steel Spring was a man not easily discouraged, and every few minutes we were addressed with prayers and oaths, to make provision for his safety.
The fire, which Murden had given orders to extinguish, was easily rekindled, and then burning brands were thrown upon the dry bushes and leaves, raising flames that roared aloft and caught at the branches of the gum trees, and then spread to the trunks, and leaped from bough to bough, driving parrots and gaudy-plumed birds from their nests, that vented their displeasure at being disturbed by uttering hoarse croaks of rage.
"You will burn down the whole of the forest," cried Murden, alarmed at the rapidity with which the flames were spreading.
"I had rather see it down, than a man in this company should be injured," was the brief reply.
"Amen to that. But, Fred, it's growing warm here. Is not the hole which we have dug large enough?" asked the lieutenant, wiping his brow.
"Not half," replied Fred. "Do you see that long line of fire, which, urged by a strong wind, is rushing towards us like a furious wave of the ocean?"
"Well, a man can't very well keep his eyes off of it when he knows that it is to crisp him up like a baked pig," Murden answered, with a rueful look.
"We have hardly begun to experience the heat from that line of flames yet, and our only chance of escape is by entering the excavation which your men are making." "I see, I see!" cried Murden, a new light breaking in upon him. "It is our only chance, sure enough."
The officer spoke to the policemen, who, with coats off, were working like heroes, and they redoubled their exertions.
"The next question is, what shall we do with these wounded men?" Fred inquired. "We can hardly hope to save them all."