There was a short, sharp council of ways and means held in the soft
evening light which bathed the sterile rocky plain and the distant
mountainous land with a weird beauty, that made those who gazed around
feel a sensation of wonder, that nature could spread such a mask over a
scene whose aspect to the adventurers was full of the horrors of thirst,
and death by the stroke of the venomous reptiles.
Close at hand, and showing no disposition to stray, were the horses and
the mules, with their coats bristling with dried sweat, and the dust
through which they had travelled.
Their packs remained untouched, for every one felt that it was
impossible to stay where they were, while before starting afresh water
was an absolute necessity--a draught each to allay the feverish thirst,
and the contents of one keg carefully divided so that about a pint each
could be given to the wearied beasts.
"But there must be water somewhere near on that higher ground," said
Wilton excitedly, and the doctor noted that his eyes looked bloodshot
and wild. "Here, I tell you what; I'll take our bearings and ride off
to see what I can find, and then come back."
"No," said the doctor, "it is impossible. Look at your horse: he cannot
carry you right up yonder for miles upon miles in the state he is in."
"Then I must walk," cried Wilton impetuously.
"You would break down before you had been gone an hour," said the
doctor, "and we should have to search for you and bring you back."
"Oh! give me credit for a little more strength and determination, sir,"
said Wilton petulantly. "We must have water, and it is to be found up
yonder in the hills. What do you say, Bourne?"
"I agree with you that water may be found yonder, but we must keep
together. Our party is small enough as it is; we must not make it less
by letting one of our most active members break away."
"Then what are we to do?" cried Wilton, and the boys' lips moved as if
they echoed his words.
"We must wait till dark, and then get the kegs. After the whole party
is refreshed, we must strike up into the hills at once and search the
valleys till we find a fall or spring, but on no account must we
separate."
So spoke the doctor, but Wilton was in no humour for obeying orders.
"I think you are wrong," he cried.
"Well," replied the doctor stiffly, "you have a right to think so, but
you might as well bear in mind that you have sworn to obey orders, that
I was elected to be chief of this expedition, and that it is your duty
to obey--in reason."
"Do you want to quarrel?" cried Wilton, clapping his hand to his
revolver-holster.
"Certainly not with a man half mad with thirst," said the doctor
quietly. "Come, Wilton, be reasonable."
"Reasonable! Are we not all half dead with thirst?"
"Suffering, not half dead," replied the doctor, who noted that Bourne
and Griggs had moved a little nearer to their angry companion. "Now,
look here, we want your cool consideration of our position. We have
water a few hundred yards away."
"What! Where?"
"In the kegs, which lie where I told you."
"Oh, there!" cried Wilton contemptuously. "We don't want that, but some
big clear flowing spring such as I offer to risk my life to find."
"Risk your life in another way," said the doctor firmly.
"How?"
"Go and fetch in the kegs from where they are lying."
"Bah! If I am to die, it shall be a decent death--not stung by some
horrible reptile. I'll risk losing my way going in search of water."
"I have already told you," said the doctor, "that the state of the
horses will not allow of such a search being made till they have had
such water as we have near. The only thing to be done is to contrive
some way of getting the kegs here without risk."
"Exactly," said Bourne laconically; "but can you propose any way? For I
must own that I cannot without horrible risk."
"At present no way," said the doctor sadly. "My only hope is in the
horrible pests returning deeply underground at night; but I am sorry to
say I know very little about the habits of these creatures. Do you,
Wilton?"
"No," replied their companion bitterly. "Latin, Greek, and mathematics
were taught me, rattlesnakes left out."
"But you," said the doctor, wincing at his companion's contemptuous
manner, "you, Griggs, have seen a good deal of these reptiles in your
time?"
"Tidy bit, sir. I saw one poor fellow die four hours after being
bitten, and I've killed a few of the varmint; but I've seen more of 'em
to-day than in all my life before."
"Then you cannot say whether it would be safe to risk an attempt to get
the kegs away?"
"Well, I don't know about that," said Griggs, who noted that Chris was
watching him intently. "You see, sir, I've been thinking pretty closely
about that matter. We must have those kegs somehow, even if the one who
gets 'em is bitten for his pains."
"Oh, but no such risk must be run," cried the doctor excitedly.
"It seems to me, sir, that it must. There's half-a-dozen of us, and one
has to take his chance so that the other five may live."
"Our position is not so bad as that, Griggs," said the doctor warmly.
"I don't want to contradict, sir, but I about think it is. It's the
sort of time like you read about at sea when they cast lots and one has
to swim ashore with a rope so as to get help. We must have that water,
and Mr Wilton here says he won't risk the job of fetching the kegs, so
it rests with five of us instead of six. Then you go a bit further and
one says, here's three men and two boys, and we who are men can't hold
back and let a boy go."
"Certainly not," said the doctor and Bourne, as if in one voice.
"Then we come down to three," continued Griggs, "and one of them is the
boss of the expedition--the captain. He can't go, of course. So you
see, Mr Bourne, it lies between us two."
"No, no," cried the doctor, "between us three."
"Us _two_, Mr Bourne," said the American, almost fiercely. "The
doctor's out of it. Now, sir, you're a deal better man than I am in
learning and proper living, and several other things that I've noticed
since we've been neighbours, all through your having been a minister, I
suppose?"
"I am but a man, Griggs, with the weaknesses of my nature."
"Exactly, sir," cried the American, totally misconstruing the speaker's
meaning. "That's what I was aiming at--weaknesses of your nature.
Consequently I'm a much better man than you are for this job. So we
want no casting lots, for I'm going to get those kegs out of that
serpent's nest, if I die for it."
"No, no," cried the doctor fiercely. "I will not consent to your going.
We must try some other plan."
"There aren't no other plan, doctor."
"I think there is," cried Chris excitedly.
"Be silent, boy!" said the doctor.
"Yes, you're out, squire," said Griggs good-humouredly. "You've had
your innings, and nearly got bitten. That's taste enough for you. Let
me have a bit of the fun. But look here, doctor; when a man is bitten
you get out a bottle and a little squirt thing, make a hole in one of
the veins, and send in a lot of stuff, don't you?"
"Inject ammonia?" replied the doctor. "Yes; as a resource after lancing
the wound and drawing out the poison, I should try that."
"Ammonia," said Griggs thoughtfully. "Yes, that's it--counteracts the
poison, doesn't it?"
"Yes, and in some cases successfully, if it has been injected soon
enough."
"Hah!" cried the American. "That's what I wanted to get at--soon
enough. Now how would it be if to get quite soon enough you got out
your bottle and gave me a dose of that stuff before I started?"
"What, injected into one of your veins?"
"Yes, sir. What do you say to that?"
"Impossible! I would not venture upon such an experiment except with a
bitten subject."
"Sorry to hear that, sir," said Griggs thoughtfully. "Well, how would
it be if I swallowed some?"
"I fear that it would be useless."
"Very well, sir; you know best, and I must do without it. My boots will
pull up a bit higher, and I'll slip on another pair of trousers and my
thick jersey over my jacket; then if one of the beauties bites, his
teeth may not go through. There'll only be my hands and face."
"But what do you propose doing--running in, seizing the kegs, and trying
to carry them out?"
"Nay, that makes the job too risky, sir. It would be just stirring the
creatures up like bees in a hive, and they'd come raging out to fight.
I've got a better plan than that."
"Yes; what is it?" said the doctor, and Chris took a step nearer.
"Just this, sir. I'll take a couple of the hide-ropes, knot them
together, and coil them up lasso fashion. After that I'm going to make
a fire and heat one of these iron tent-pegs red-hot--one of those with
the eye to them. Soon as it's well hot I'm going to bend it round into
a hook, slip one end of the rope through the eye and make fast, and then
I'm going to fish with that hook--throwing it in till it catches the keg
chain that couples them together, and as soon as I've got a bite run out
the line ready for a couple of us to haul the water right away clean
from the snake's nest. What do you say to that?"
"I say it isn't fair," cried Chris excitedly. "You, Ned, you are a
sneak to go and tell him."
"I didn't tell him," cried Ned indignantly.
"How did he know, then?" said Chris, growing angry. "I never said a
word to any one else."
"What do you mean, Chris?" said the doctor sternly.
"Why, I invented that plan, father," cried Chris, "exactly as Griggs
says; and I was going to propose it, only Griggs spoke first."
"I never knew you thought the same way, squire," said Griggs quietly.
"It was my invention," said Chris warmly.
"Very well, lad, you may have it," said Griggs. "It's yours, then."
"Yes," cried Chris, "and I'll go and throw the hook till I catch the
chain."
"Nay! That's where I come in, my lad," cried Griggs. "You shall have
all the credit, but I'll do the work."
"No, no," said Chris angrily. "It's my invention, and I shall do it."
"No," said the doctor firmly; "you both had the same idea, my boy, but
Mr Griggs is your senior, he is better adapted for the dangerous task,
and you must give way."
"Must I, father?" said the boy, in a disappointed tone.
"Yes. You have run risks enough for one day."
"Ha, ha!" cried Ned, laughing, to the astonishment of all, and his
satisfaction rang out in his tones. "You can't do it, after all,
Griggs," and though he said no more his eyes looked a finish to the
sentence--serve you right for getting the better of Chris!
"Why can't I do it?" said Griggs quietly.
"Because there's no fire to heat the iron."
"But I can soon make one."
"What of? Stones?"
Griggs brought his right fist down into his left hand with a loud
_spang_, uttering a low hiss the while, for there was not a scrap of
wood in sight.
Then his face lit up and he went to the mule laden with the tent, cast
loose a rope, and ran an iron ringed peg about two feet long off from
where it had been placed for safety, and walked off amongst the rocks
till he found a crevice suited to his purpose. There he thrust the thin
end of the peg in between the sides some six inches, and exerting his
strength a little, bent the iron round till the lower part stood off at
right angles to the upper. This done, he raised the iron, placed the
point upon the surface of a level block, and pressed heavily down, the
point yielding slowly, and, the iron being fairly soft, he very shortly
produced a roughly-made hook.
"'Taint so neat as I could wish," he said quietly; "but it is a hook,
and you can't call it anything else."
"Yes," said Chris frankly, "and it's a better one than I expected; but
wouldn't it be better to try if you can catch the chain with it before
it gets dark?"
"He would have to keep on throwing several times perhaps," said Bourne,
"and bring the snakes swarming out."
"Well I don't know that it would matter much," said Griggs thoughtfully.
"I should be standing perhaps a dozen yards from where the hook kept on
falling, and they'd strike at it and not at me. I shall try it at once,
doctor, for it'll be far better than doing it by lanthorn light."
"Yes," said the doctor thoughtfully; "and at the worst, if the reptiles
swarmed out, we would hurry away till they settled down again."
"Yes," said Griggs, with a quick nod of the head, and a few minutes
later he had his tackle ready, the hook securely tied on, the rope
hanging in coils from his hand, and all ready for the advance.
"I'll go alone, please, and at once," he said sharply. "In ten minutes
it will be getting dusk. Did any one notice whether the chain lay at
the top?"
"Yes," cried Chris sharply; "I did. So that it would be quite easy to
catch."
"Good," cried Griggs, in a satisfied tone. "Then here goes."
"Promise me you'll be careful, Griggs," said the doctor.
"Yes, sir," said the American, smiling, "if you'll strike a bargain."
"What do you mean?"
"Promise me you'll have that stuff ready to give me a strong dose if I'm
bitten."
"Trust me," said the doctor.
"And trust me, sir," cried Griggs.
The next minute he was striding along over the sand in and out amongst
the scattered blocks of stone, and followed by his friends, cautiously
on the alert for any reptiles that might be coiled up asleep.
But it was past their time; the sun had gone down, and the dusk of
evening was rapidly growing into darkness, showing the party that if
they had waited until a lanthorn was necessary there would have been
great difficulty in putting into practice that which in theory sounded
as easy as drawing on a glove.
Not a snake was to be seen when the party halted, following Griggs's
example, and standing about thirty feet behind him, the many blocks of
rugged stone in front completely hiding the place where the barrels lay.
"Can you see any of the enemy?" said the doctor, just loudly enough for
his voice to reach the American's ears.
Griggs turned quickly, shook his head to indicate that the coast was
clear, and then turned back to face his task.
The next minute they saw the deftly-thrown hook flying through the air,
describing a curve, and the rings of the rope opening out as they
followed the iron.
There was a loud jangling sound, and Chris held his breath as he saw the
operator begin to draw upon the rope hand over hand, fully expecting to
see a check, and that the hook had caught.
The boy was not disappointed--it had, and Chris uttered a low cheer.
"Got it!" he whispered.--"Why is he doing that?"
_That_ was the jerking of the rope to set it at liberty to be drawn in
again, for the simple reason that the catch was only the corner of a
rock.
But Griggs was soon ready again, and he mounted on to the top of a stone
before taking careful aim, as he swung the hook to and fro, and then
once more launched it through the air, to fall this time with a dull
sound as if it had struck upon wood.
"He'll do it this time," whispered Ned excitedly. "Yes: he has got it."
For as Griggs hauled there was again a check, evidently, from the sound
of the iron, against wood.
"Oh!" groaned Chris, as they saw the rope hauled in again quickly for
another throw. "What a while he is! He won't be able to see."
"All right, Chris," cried Ned cheerily; "third time never fails."
"We shall have to do it, Ned," replied Chris merrily. "Now then, once
to be ready, twice to be steady, three times to be off: there it goes."
Away went the hook, and after it the dimly-seen coils of rope, followed
by a sharp clang again of iron upon stone.
"Now he's hauling," whispered Ned, and all held their breath, for the
change from daylight into darkness was rapidly going on, and Griggs's
figure standing erect upon the grey rock began to look as if some thin,
filmy, smoke-tinted veil was being drawn over it.
_Tchingle_! came--clearly heard!
"Hurrah!" cried Chris. "He has caught the chain this time. He'll want
us to help haul."
The boy strained forward as if ready to start at the first call; but he
did not, for no call came, but Griggs himself began to move sharply
after a tug at the rope, and then leaping down from the stone upon which
he had stood, he came running towards them swiftly, dodging in and out
amongst the stones standing in his way.
"Off with you," he shouted; "the varmint are coming along the rope!"
All turned at the order, retreating steadily to allow Griggs to overtake
them, which he did directly.
"I don't think we need go far," he said. "I don't suppose they'll come
further than the end of the rope. I could see dozens of them striking
at the barrel and the hook at that last throw. We shall have to let
them settle down before we try to get the water, but I've hooked the
chain fast."
"Then we can do the rest after dark," said the doctor.
"Well, not quite, sir. We shall have to bring a light to find the end
of the rope and see that there are none of the reptiles hanging on to
it."
"Yes, exactly."
"Why not bring one of the mules next time?" cried Chris eagerly.
"What for?" said Griggs sharply.
"To make fast the line to his saddle or pack, and let him drag the
barrels over the sand."
"Good!" cried Griggs.
"Excellent!" said the doctor.
"I wonder whether the snakes will follow when the kegs are being dragged
over the sand?" said Bourne.
"I don't think they will, sir," said the American. "They might perhaps
if there are any about after dark, but there are lots of small stones
about where they lie, and the critters will have an ugly time of it
ground under those two heavy tubs."
"I'm in hopes that we shall have no further trouble," said the doctor
thoughtfully. "The only thing to decide now is, how long had we better
wait?"
"An hour," said Wilton decisively; and that hour was passed in luxury,
for a soft cool air came whispering among the reeking stones which had
been bathing all day long in the sunshine, and there was a crispness and
revivifying sensation in that gentle evening breeze which seemed to
affect even the animals, the mules crouching down in the sand and the
horses standing facing the quarter from which the wind blew, as if
satisfied to wait for the water that they instinctively expected would
come.
The hour seemed long, and then with a dull star-like lanthorn Griggs
began to pick his way through the transparent darkness, holding the
light low in his lookout for enemies, till the end of the rope was
found, though not without difficulty, the boys, who led one of the mules
between them, having to stop at last and wait till the search came to an
end.
"No snakes about here," said Griggs, in a low voice; "bring the mule on,
lads. That's right. Now then, turn. Back him a little more."
This was done, the rope made fast to the pack-saddle, and all was ready.
"Now," said the doctor, "will the enemy follow the two kegs or no?
Forward!"