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Hig, there's solid land, there's " He hurled himself into the midst of the swordlike points of the scrub. Higgins, made suddenly sane by his companion's apparent madness, stumbled after, pleading, cajoling. Neither realized what happened during the next seconds.
With a mighty lunge Roger flung himself and his opponent to the ground as a pistol snapped viciously and a steel-jacketed bullet zipped over his head. "Look out, Hig!" he shouted. "Stay under your man." "Turn 'im over!" The leader who had crawled upon the spoil bank fired again and missed. "Can't yah turn him up so I can get a crack at 'im?"
Here was observed an aloe-formed plant, with a strong and woody thorn on the top. It is called Haskul or Hig; the fibres are beaten out with sticks or stones, rotted in water, and then made into cord. In other parts the young bark of the acacia is used; it is first charred on one side, then reduced to fibre by mastication, and lastly twisted into the semblance of a rope.
Higgins was standing before his tent, smoking and chafing the men. "Everything all right, Hig?" asked Roger with false calm. "All right? Sure. Why wouldn't it be?" Higgins took the pipe from his lips and looked closer. "Hi! What's up? What's happened to you?" "What do you mean?"
"I scarcely noticed her." "You're right; you didn't. That's why I been wondering if there ain't something wrong with you. Tall, slim, carried herself like a princess, and dressed " "Go back to sleep, Hig, you're still dreaming." "A dream is right but in the flesh and you never noticed her!" "I'm down here on business; haven't time for anything else. I'm going out and see what the country is like."
"About what, Hig?" "About Willie High Pockets!" "What! Willy been here?" Higgins' thick brows met in a puzzled frown above his eyes. "Payne, do you mean to tell me that you go out and find we're shut in like rats in a pit and come back here stepping high, without knowing about our friend Willy?" "I don't know anything but what I've told you, Hig! Garman has got us shut in.
The scarred man turned and stared sullenly into the barrel of Higgins' revolver. "Go ahead and shoot. That's the only way I'll go up there." "Don't want to go alive, eh?" "Ain't allowed to go at all." "Hold on, Hig," repeated Roger. "Don't be unreasonable." "Unreasonable, hell! We're on our way, aren't we? Going to let 'em stop us?" "We've got no quarrel with these men. We'll use a little reason."
By the fashion in which they handled their weapons, Roger saw they were hunters; and the grim way in which they kept watch proved that they had come expecting a fight; to shoot and be shot at; to kill and perhaps be killed. "That's Garman's work; no one else could get that crowd out of the swamp. How did it happen, Hig?" "It happened because I'm all bone from the neck up.
I'm going to die." "I think not, sir; the others are sick, too." "That's good! I was afraid they'd dressed and gone." It was some consolation to know that Ringold and Higgins had not escaped their share of suffering. "How is Hig the bony fellow?" "Do you mean the gentleman in thirty-two?" "How should I know his number?
"What's the matter?" Higgins again sampled the blackish water. "Taste it," he said. Payne obeyed. He looked at Higgins. Then they both stood up, shaking the water from their fingers. "Salt!" "Yes." Higgins took out his pipe and slowly began to fill it. Payne looked round. "Hig, that means we've got to hustle and find a way out in a hurry. In this heat we can't go long without water.
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