er at the spot which they
had now reached, or he would have brought a supply with him from the
water-cask in the boat, which had still contained several gallons. But
it was too late now to think of returning that night to the seashore,
and besides, such a step would naturally alarm and depress his
companions. The best chance would be to proceed on their way as long as
daylight lasted, and take the chance of falling in with some of the
springs or pools, which are scattered about, though at rare intervals,
in this inhospitable land.

"Well, that's a nuisance," he exclaimed aloud, as he gazed into the
blank faces, and marked the dry parched lips of the boys. "That's a
nuisance, but it can't be helped. Better luck next time. We had better
step out as fast as we can while daylight lasts. We are safe to come to
water, sooner or later, even in this country."

"All right, Charles," said Frank; "the sooner we reach it the better.
We must step out, best pace."

The other two made no remark, but they also quickened their walk.
Emerging from the bushes, Mr Lavie pursued his route due eastward,
though the path he followed did not seem very likely to fulfil his
hopes. It lay along a bare hillside, over which huge boulders of rock
were scattered; while the vegetation growing more and more scarce every
mile of the way, at last ended in a waste as barren as that which they
had traversed at the outset of their journey. It was, indeed, very much
the same character of scenery as before, only that they were no longer
shut in by a hollow defile in the hill. On either sides there rose high
shelves of stone pierced by what seemed to be caverns running far
inward. Between these masses of rock, long vistas of bare stony plains
presented themselves, seeming to the belated travellers the very picture
of desolation.

The sun was now fast setting; there remained scarcely an hour of
daylight, and for all they could see, Lavie and his party would have to
continue their journey by starlight, or bivouac on the sand. Suddenly
at this moment, Lion, who had been tramping along for the last hour or
two, as much depressed apparently as any of the party, stood still,
sniffed the air for a moment or two, and then sprang forward with a
joyous bark, turning round, when he had proceeded a few yards, as if
inviting Frank to follow him.

"Don't call him back, Frank," said Mr Lavie as Wilmore shouted after
him. "His instinct is much keener than our