st was
not fortunate. The afternoon was unusually scorching and dry; and
though they came to several patches of trees and shrubs, they could find
neither fount nor pool. At length the sun had declined so low in the
horizon, that it was plain that scarcely more than an hour of daylight
remained; and they would have to pass the night without having quenched
their thirst, unless water should very speedily be discovered.

Under these circumstances they were greatly rejoiced to see Lion, who
had been trotting along soberly by Frank's side ever since they left the
ant-hills, suddenly throw up his head and snuff the air, which were his
modes of indicating that there was a spring at no great distance.

"Hurrah! old fellow," shouted Frank; "off then, and find it. We'll have
a race, Nick, which shall reach it first."

They started off, the other two following at a somewhat slower pace.
Lion soon went ahead, directing the course of the boys towards a small
kloof, visible about a mile off, containing a grove of palms and date
trees, with a thick belt of underwood surrounding it. Heedless of the
heat, which by this time, however, was a little tempered by the cool
breeze that had sprung up at sunset, they bounded gaily along, and
presently reached the kloof. It appeared to Frank--who, closely
following Lion, was the first of the four to enter it--quite a little
Paradise. Under the shade of the palms, surrounded by delicious
verdure, was a large spring bubbling up from the ground, and stealing
away in a brook, which ran babbling through the thicket, until lost to
sight.

"Hurrah!" he shouted. "Now for a jolly drink! What is the matter, old
boy?" he added a moment afterwards, as Lion instead of plunging into the
cool water, as was his ordinary habit, stood still on the brink, looking
up into Frank's face, with a perplexed and wistful look. "What's the
matter, Lion, why don't you drink? I suppose, poor beast," he added,
"he hasn't quite recovered even yet. Get out of the way, Lion; what are
you about? If you are not thirsty, at all events I am!"

He pushed the mastiff out of the way as he spoke, and throwing himself
on his hands and knees, took a long and delicious draught. "You don't
know what is good, Lion," he said. "It's a rum colour, and there is an
odd sort of taste about the water; but it is beautifully cool and
refreshing. Come, drink, old chap; it will do you a heap of good."

The dog, however, persistently