they
saw that the black did not eat, but began to beat the ground in all
directions like a spaniel, till too weak to do more, when he came and
threw himself down on the grass, and said: "Mine can't find way back no
more."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

"WE SHALL RUN AGAINST THEM."

What did it mean?

Lost in the great uninhabited plains, where by aid of their compass they
might go on day after day travelling in the direction they believed to
be homeward, but it would only be as the result of a guess. Certainly,
they knew that the sea lay somewhere due east, but even if they could
reach the sea, where would they be--north or south of a settlement?

Norman felt that their case was hopeless; and in obedience to the mute
prayer he read in brother and cousin's eyes, he went and sat by the
black.

"Can't mine find the track, Shanter?"

"Baal find um," he replied coolly. "Plenty all gone way."

"But come and try again."

The black shook his head.

"Baal go no more," he said; "mine sore. Plenty hurt all over. Go
sleep, piggi jump up."

The black turned away, and Norman returned disconsolately to the others.

"What does he say?" whispered Tim, as if afraid that his voice would be
heard out there in the great wild.

"Says we are to go to sleep till the sun rises to-morrow."

There was a dead silence.

"Shall we go and try ourselves?" said Rifle, at last.

"If he can't find it, we can't," said Norman, despondently.

"Never mind, boys," cried Tim. "Never say die. When the provision's
done, we'll eat one of the horses, if we can't shoot anything. Surely
we shall come across settlers some time during the next ten years; and
if we don't, I say that if black fellows can live, we who know so much
better can, till we reach a settlement once more."

"But we don't know so much better," said Norman, sadly. "Shanter can
beat us hollow at tracking. I wouldn't care, boys, only I seem to have
poor mother's face always before me; and it will kill her if we don't
get back."

Another deep silence followed, for neither could trust himself to speak,
till all at once from where he lay, sounding incongruous at so solemn a
time, there came from the black a succession of heavy snores; and so
near is laughter to tears, mirth to sadness, that the boys burst into a
hearty fit of laughter, and Rifle exclaimed: "There, what's the good of
our being in the dumps. It can't be so very bad when old Tam o' Shanter
can go to sleep like