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They could not possibly lose it by returning along the bank of the river; but as the scrub was tolerably open and the ground hard, they settled to make their way through it instead of trudging over the soft sand in the bed of the stream. They had got near the water-hole when they saw a number of small lights moving among the trunks of the trees, now appearing, now disappearing.
He had long wondered why Corliss had not taken up the water-hole homestead. Corliss was in bed when Shoop swaggered in. The foreman did a few steps of a jig, flung his hat in the corner, and proceeded to undress. "Did you see Kennedy?" yawned Corliss. "Bet your whiskers I did! Got the descriptions in my pocket. You owe me the price of seven drinks, Jack, to say nothin' of what I took myself.
Hitherto the travellers had observed no signs of wild life during their exceedingly leisurely progress southward; but the sight of a water-hole or two, and a few patches of scanty herbage dotted here and there among the rocks, led them to hope that here they might at last possibly get the chance of a shot at game of some sort; and their hope became a practical certainty when, as the men of the party were promenading the deck after dinner, and enjoying their tobacco, a hoarse, coughing roar reached their ears from the direction of the rocks.
One of the ruffians had struck him over the head with the butt of his pistol, but he had suffered more from fear than from the blow, for he fully believed that they were going to put him to death. He was lifted on Hector's horse, and we soon reached the water-hole.
"It's easy!" said Shoop, gesturing toward the Loring rancho as they passed. "Goin' to bush at the water-hole to-night?" "No. We'll go through." Shoop whistled. "Suits me! And I reckon the team is good for it." He glanced sideways at Corliss, who sat with eyes fixed straight ahead. The cattle-man's face was expressionless. He was thinking hard and fast, but chose to mask it.
We knew that we should require a large number: indeed, Boxall reminded us that we could not expect to live long upon them and keep up our strength. It was tantalising, also, to reflect that we could not carry any quantity on our intended voyage. Boxall then proposed that we should return to our water-hole. "Though I am afraid, Charlie, we shall not find your shoes very full," he observed.
At sun-down we came upon a water-hole, and encamped for the night. By this time we were entirely out of provisions, and our sufferings commenced. The next day we resumed our journey, now severely feeling the cravings of hunger.
The sultry weather, however, caused a great part of the meat to become tainted and maggotty. Our friend Nyuall became ill, and complained of a violent headache, which he tried to cure by tying a string tightly round his head. The black ibis, cocatua, kites, crows, and a small black and white species of heron, frequented our water-hole.
Alaire explained to her guest: "José is worried about his cousin Panfilo. It seems he has disappeared." "So! You are Panfilo's cousin?" Dave eyed the Mexican with new interest. "Si!" "You remember the man?" Alaire went on. "He was with that fellow you arrested at the water-hole." "Oh yes. I remember him." With steady fingers Dave shook some tobacco into a cigarette-paper.
My brother and Windich returned late this evening, having been over sixty miles to the East-North-East, and having found only one small rock water-hole with water in it. Many rock holes had been seen, but all dry. They had met several natives. One woman and child they had caught and talked to. She did not seem frightened, and ate readily the damper and sugar given her.
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