ly tired.

Their preparations were easily made, and occupied scarce ten seconds of
time. It was only to untether the camel and take to the road, or, as
Harry jocosely termed it, "unmoor the desert ship and begin their
voyage."

Just as the last gleam of daylight forsook the white crests of the
sand-hills, and went flickering afar over the blue waters of the ocean,
they stole forth from their hiding-place, and started upon a journey of
which they knew neither the length nor the ending.

Even of the direction of that undetermined journey they had but a vague
conception. They believed that the coast trended northward and
southward, and that one of these points was the proper one to head for.
It was almost "heads or tails" which of them they should take; and had
they been better acquainted with their true situation, it might as well
have been determined by a toss-up, for any chance they had of ever
arriving at a civilized settlement. But they knew not that. They had a
belief--the old sailor stronger than the rest--that there were
Portuguese forts along the coast, chiefly to the southward, and that by
keeping along shore they might reach one of these. There were such
establishments it is true--still are; and though at that time there were
some nearer to the point where their ship had been wrecked, none were
near enough to be reached by the starving castaway, however
perseveringly he might travel towards them.

Ignorant of the impracticability of their attempt, our adventurers
entered upon it with a spirit worthy of success,--worthy of the country
from which they had come.

For some time the maherry was led in hand, old Bill being its conductor.
All four had been well rested during the day, and none of them cared to
ride.

As the tide, however, was now beginning to creep up into the sundry
inlets, to avoid walking in water, they were compelled to keep well high
up on the beach; and this forced them to make their way through the soft
yielding sand, a course that required considerable exertion.

Ore after another now began to feel fatigue, and talk about it as well;
and then the proposal was made, that the maherry--who stepped over the
unsure surface with as much apparent lightness as a cat would have
done--should be made to carry at least one of the party. They could ride
in turns, which would give each of them an opportunity of resting.

No sooner was the proposition made than it was carried into execution.
Terence,