And as they stood taking this last look, the light again broke forth, giving to the strange scene a weird and bewildering effect.
The boats now pulled away, Tite's boat taking the lead.

They had agreed to keep together as much as possible, (and to that end made signals at short intervals,) gain the ocean and seek relief along the shore.
Darkness soon shut in again, however, and the noises were so bewildering that the signals from the boats could not be understood, and they separated never to meet again.
We must now follow the fortunes of the boat commanded by Tite.

He had been fortunate enough to secure a compass, which, though it did him little good while in the cave, would be of great assistance to him outside.

The question as to how the entrance of the cave bore, and the surest way of gaining it, was of most importance now.

Tite estimated that they were at least ten miles from it, and that by steering directly against the current, they could not fail to make it.