w minutes; but they were soon hidden from us by the trees, and, with
the darkness growing more intense, we had literally to feel our way
along.

"Are we going straight?" I said, after we had been walking for about a
quarter of an hour. "We ought to have reached the cultivated land
before now. We are still among the trees."

"Distances are deceptive in the sunshine," replied my companion. "Keep
close behind me."

"As close as I can," I whispered, as it struck me that distances seemed
to be more deceptive in the darkness.

Brace had drawn his sword, and was using it as a guide, to keep from
walking into some bush or against a tree; and as I followed him I could
hear the blade rustle amongst the bushes, and tap against small tree
trunks; but, though it saved him, I was not so guarded, for I tripped
twice, and once went down headlong through getting my foot caught in
some kind of wild vine.

At last, after what had seemed to be a tremendous while, we found
ourselves brought up by an irrigation ditch; but we managed to clear it,
and alighted at once upon soft earth, which we knew was cultivated
ground, and stepped out more freely.

It seemed to me a mad venture, but, without daring almost to madness, it
was not likely that we could rescue our guns from the enemy's hands,
though how we were going to reconnoitre that night, or gain any
information as to the movements of the enemy, I could not see. Still I
was on duty; my superior officer was leading, and I felt no other
inclination than to blindly obey.

Whenever I recall that expedition now, I begin somehow to think about
blind men and their feelings; for we might almost as well have been
thus. Our eyes were not of the slightest use to us, the stars being
blotted out as it were by the thick mist into which we had plunged, and
through which we slowly groped our way.

"Keep tight hold of my hand," said Brace, in a whisper.

"We shall never find the village," I said.

"We must find it, Gil," he said, as he gripped my hand hard. And on we
went, with my companion feeling his way step by step, still using his
sword as guide, and for the peaceful object of guarding us from such
enemies as trees, against which we might run, and ditches into which we
might fall.

The heat was terrible--a hot, steamy, misty heat, which helped to
saturate us--as we slowly struggled on, pausing every now and then to
listen, knowing, as we did, that almost at any minute now we might h