It blazed around us like a steady fire.

By a miracle the palisade was not struck, but I heard a rending and splintering in the forest where tall trees had met their doom.

The noise deafened me, and confused my senses.

Out of the loophole I could see the glade that sloped down to the Gap, and it was as bright as if it had been high noonday.

The clumps of fern and grass stood out yellow and staring against the inky background of the trees.