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the edge, with his legs swinging over. “Get on to my shoulders, and put your legs round my neck, and give me your hands, and I’ll take you quite safely. Only don’t scream or call out, or I shall drop you.”
Jack did as he was bid, and seated himself firmly on his companion’s shoulders, holding on round his neck. He could not help feeling frightened when, without a word, his guide sprang into the hole, and began to fly through the darkness so fast that he felt giddy. They went down—down—down. It was pitch dark, and poor. Jack felt quite sick with the quick motion. He would have called out for them to stop, only he feared that the red man would keep his threat of letting him fall.
At last, a long way beneath them, he saw a faint red light, growing larger and brighter every moment.
“There’s Fireland,” said his guide, stopping for a minute, “and we shall be there in a few seconds now.” And on they went again quicker than before towards the light, which now grew so brilliant that Jack could scarcely bear to look at it.