"I told her I was all right, laughed about my hair, and inquired very
anxiously how she was. She assured me that she was as well as ever.
Some conversation followed; and then, to my amazement, I found that I
had slept for an immense time, or had been unconscious, whichever it
was, and that the adventure had taken place on the preceding day. It
was now about the middle of the next day. You may imagine how
confounded I was at that."

[Illustration: "ALL GONE; MY EYEBROWS, AND MUSTACHE, AND EVERY WISP OF
HAIR FROM MY HEAD."]

"The air was still abominably close and smoky; so I looked about the
island, and found a huge crevice in the rocks, which was almost a
cave. It was close by the water, and was far cooler than outside. In
fact, it was rather comfortable than otherwise. Here we took refuge,
and talked over our situation. As far as we could see, the whole
country was burned up. A vast cloud of smoke hung over all. One
comfort was that the glow had ceased on the river-bank, and only a
blackened forest now remained, with giant trees arising, all blasted.
We found that our stay would be a protracted one.

"The first thing that I thought of was food. Fortunately I had my
hooks and lines; so I cut a pole, and fastening my line to it, I
succeeded in catching a few fish.

"We lived there for two days on fish in that manner. The lady was sad
and anxious. I tried to cheer her up. Her chief trouble was the fear
that her father was lost. In the course of our conversations I found
out that her name was Ethel Orne."