"What do you think of it now?" he said, gravely.
"I think it's as bad and stupid as ever it can be," I cried, pettishly.
"You are right, Gil," he said; "it is. Absolutely hopeless, my dear
boy. No; men on foot cannot catch Arab horses. They would be off at a
very different pace to that we have seen, directly we showed ourselves.
It would not do, Gil--it would not do."
I sighed now, partly from vexation, and we joined our companions in the
miserable meal, of which we were badly in want. Then the horses were
fetched back, and we anxiously awaited the return of Dost, who joined us
just at dusk, driving two donkeys before him, so laden with provisions
that our prospects looked ten times as hopeful.
"Why, Dost, man," said Brace, smiling at him, "I was thinking ten
minutes ago that it would be impossible for us to hold this position for
want of food. You have given us two or three days more. Quick! let's
give the poor lads a good supper, Gil; they want it badly."
That night, just at watch-setting, I went again to see Craig, but with
no great hope of his having any plan worth listening to, for the whole
business seemed to be impossible. There is only one way, I said to
myself: a dash at them by night, sword in hand. But when I reached the
place where the poor fellow lay, he was sleeping easily, and it was
quite out of the question to waken a wounded man.
All was quiet in the camp at last, and, fortunately for us, the weather
lovely. We had our quiet talk after watch-setting, and it fell to my
lot that night to have to make the rounds, so that I had plenty of time
for thought, as I leaned against a tree, and tried once more to make
some plan, but tried in vain.
Then I listened to faint distant sounds in the rajah's village, and to
the howling of the jackals, with the croakings, whisperings, and
mutterings which came out of the black forest, all sounding so weird and
strange that I was glad to keep going from post to post, to chat in a
whisper with the men, and make sure that no attempt at evasion was being
made by our prisoners, who all appeared to be asleep.
And so my part of the uneasy night watch passed away, and I was relieved
by Brace.
"Thought out anything?" I said.
"No," he replied. "Have you?"
I shook my head, and went and lay down to drop asleep on the instant,
and wake up at daybreak according to my custom.