ere, the water growing deeper, they disappeared.

"Well," said Chris, "we know all we want to know now.--There are
rattlers about, and if it wasn't for them it wouldn't be a bad place for
a long halt."

"We can take care to avoid the snakes," said the doctor, "and as there
is plenty of good water we'll stay here till the morning; but as we are
in such good time two or three of us will ride on to see what the
country's like further on. Perhaps the next plantation may have some
one to give us a little information."

Camp was formed then as far as was necessary, the fairly-well-built
house offering plenty of shelter, and the place round, ample
grazing-ground for the beasts.

A hasty meal was made, and then Wilton and Griggs were appointed scouts,
riding off and returning at sundown with the information that the
plantation they were on was the farthest to be seen--all beyond was
wilderness, but with nothing in the shape of high ground beyond, save in
one spot where a hill or two rose faintly blue against the sky.

"Isn't it jolly!" said Ned, after they had partaken of an exceedingly
muddly meal, the water being fetched from the lagoon, and the fire for
boiling their coffee having been made of wood that was indisposed to
burn, while no matter where they arranged the provisions it was only to
have them attacked by insects, which came from under planks or stones,
dropped from the rough ceiling of the decaying shanty, came flying,
crawling, hopping, or with sharp raps as if they had formed part of the
charge of a gun.

But it was a change. Everything was fresh, and this first start had
ended the monotonous drudgery of their unsatisfactory life at the
plantation.

So Ned had given his opinion that it was jolly, an idea which, now he
had shaken off the feeling of depression at leaving what had for years
been his home, Chris fully shared.

For the boys' spirits had risen as they rode through the bright sunny
day, and they only found disappointment in one thing--the fact of being
compelled to regulate the pace of their mustangs by that of the
heavily-laden mules, whose rate of progress was about equal to that of
an ordinary British donkey driven in from a common.

Over and over again they longed to give their sturdy, well-chosen little
nags a touch with the heel to send them racing along through the
dusty-looking sage-brush; but they had to be contented with plodding
steadily along behind the train, save when Chris fou