in charge of the
waggons, who were striving with all their might to restrain their
horses.

"Let them go, my lads; unhitch and let them go, or they'll have the
waggons over."

"Stampede! stampede!" some of the men kept shouting, and all at once it
seemed that the whole of the quadrupeds were in motion; for, acting upon
Joses' orders, the teams were unhitched, and away the whole body swept
in a thundering gallop onward towards the mountain, leaving the waggons
solitary in the dusty plain.

Every now and then a mule freed itself of its pack, and began kicking
and squealing in delight at its freedom, while the cattle tossed their
horns and went on in headlong gallop.

For once the wind had turned, the poor suffering beasts had sniffed the
soft moist air that had passed over the shallow lake, and their unerring
instinct set them off in search of relief.

There was no pause, and all the mounted men could do was to let their
horses keep pace with the mules and cattle, only guiding them clear of
the thickest part of the drove. And so they thundered on till the dusty
plain was left behind, and green rank herbage and thickly growing
water-plants reached, through which the cattle rushed to the shallow
water at the edge of the lake.

But still they did not stop to drink, but rushed on and on, plashing as
they went, till they were in right up to their flanks. Then, and then
only, did they begin to drink, snorting and breathing hard, and drawing
in the pure fresh water.

Some bellowed with pleasure as they seemed to satisfy their raging
thirst; others began to swim or waded out till their nostrils only were
above the surface; while the mules, as soon as they had drunk their
fill, started to squeal and kick and splash to the endangerment of their
loads. The horses behaved the most soberly, contenting themselves with
wading in to a respectable distance, and then drinking when the water
was undisturbed and pure, as did their masters; the Doctor, Joses, and
Bart bending down and filling the little metal cups they carried again
and again.

It was growing dark as they turned from the shallow water of the lake,
the mules following the horses placidly enough, and the lumbering cattle
contentedly obeying the call of their masters, and settling themselves
down directly to crop the rich rank grasses upon the marshy shores.

A short consultation was held now, and the question arose whether they
had been observed by Indians, who