one at all. I hit upon the idea when I first began these
expeditions. Something of the kind was absolutely essential. Trekking
with waggons you carry the ordinary _vaatje_--a small drum-shaped keg--
slung between the wheels, but it's an inconvenient thing to load up on a
horse--in fact, the second attempt I made the concern got loose and
rolled the whole way down a mountain-side--of course, splintering to
atoms. Besides, this thing holds more and keeps the water cooler. I
came near dying of thirst that time, being three nights and two days
without a drop of anything; for this is a mighty dry country, I needn't
tell you."

"What if the whole yarn should turn out moonshine after all?" said
Sellon, with the despondency of a thoroughly exhausted man. "There's
one thing about it that looks fishy. How could what's his name--
Greenway--wounded as he was, fetch your place in two or three days?
Why, it'll take us nearly a week to do it--if not quite."

"That very thing struck me at first," said Renshaw, quietly, shredding
up a piece of Boer tobacco. "My impression is, he didn't come back the
same way he went. You see, he knew the country thoroughly. He may have
taken a short cut and come straight over the mountains. For I'm pretty
sure the way we are taking is an altogether roundabout one."

"Then why couldn't the fellow have told you the shorter one, instead of
sending us round three sides of a square?"

"That's soon explained. In the first place, this way is easier to find,
the landmarks more unmistakable, and the travelling better. In the
second, you must remember the poor old chap was at his last gasp. It's
a good thing for you, Sellon, that he was, for if he had only lived half
an hour longer--even a quarter--he'd have given fuller details and I
should have found the place long ago. Look how disjointed the last part
of his story is, just the main outlines, trusting to me to fill in
detail. I tell you, it was quite pitiable to see the manful effort he
made to keep up until he had said his say."

Later in the afternoon, the heat having somewhat abated, they resumed
their way, which grew at every mile more rough and toilsome, between
those lofty walls, winding round a spur, only to find a succession of
similar spurs further on. Then the sun went off the defile, and a
coolness truly refreshing succeeded. Renshaw, leading the way, held
steadily on, for there was light enough from the great sparkling canopy