descent.

Once on tolerably level ground in the bottom of the defile, however,
their progress was easy, and, with the anticipation of long hearty
drinks at the clear spring, and a good meal from the store on the
pack-horses' backs, they strode on bravely in spite of the heat. The
track up to the cliff-dwellings was passed; but now that they were
weary, the way seemed to be twice as far as when they were going in the
morning, and the defile looked so different upon the return journey that
at last Lawrence asked with a wistful look whether they had missed the
spring.

Yussuf smiled and replied that it was below, and not far distant now,
and a few minutes later they turned an angle in the defile, and came in
full view of the patch of verdure that marked its presence in the
sterile stony gorge.

"Hah!" ejaculated Mr Burne, "it makes one know the value of water,
travelling in a land like this. Only fancy how clear and cold and
refreshing it will be."

He nodded and smiled, for it was his custom after having been in any way
unamiable to try and make up for it by pleasant remarks and jocularity.

"Yes," said Mr Preston; "it does indeed. This mountain air, too, gives
one an appetite--eh, Lawrence?"

"Is that curious feeling one has appetite?" said the lad. "I fancied
that I was not well."

"But you feel as if you could eat?"

"Oh, yes; a great deal," cried the boy, "and I shall be glad to begin."

"Then it is hunger," said the professor laughing. "Eh, what?"

This last was in answer to some words uttered loudly by Yussuf, who had
walked swiftly on, and entered the little depression where they had left
the man with the horses.

"Gone, excellency, gone!" he cried excitedly, for the place was empty;
the six horses and the man were not visible.

The little party stood gazing wonderingly at each other.

The water was there, gushing with great force from beneath the towering
mass of rock; but their supply of food, their means of progression, the
man whom they had engaged--where were they?

Yussuf stood with his hands clenched, and his brow contracted, gazing
down at the ground.

Mr Preston looked down the valley in the direction by which they had
come that morning.

Mr Burne took out his box, partook of a large pinch of snuff, and blew
his nose violently.

Lawrence walked to the spring, stooped down, and began drinking, dipping
up a little water at a time in the hollow of his hand.

Then there was a few