f
them. The first one is out there about a hundred yards away, and I
believe that's about the average distance between them. If we can dope
out some scheme for getting across a hundred yards of that mush at a
time I believe we can make it. That mud doesn't run on forever; I'm
sure I saw solid ground with timber on it to the north."

"How far away?"

"It's impossible even to guess at the distance in that light. I'll go
up in the morning and have another look."

"Do the islands look solid?"

"There's brush on them; that's all I could see."

"My God, I'm thirsty," said Higgins irrelevantly.

"I have been so for the last two hours," responded Payne.

"And you saw no water out there?"

"No."

"Then we'd better not eat any more of that venison. Meat makes a man
thirsty. A hundred yards, you guess, between the islands. Well, I can
dope out a rig to beat that game. There's branches and saplings enough
here, and creepers, and vines for ropes."

"Snowshoes!" cried Roger, grasping the idea.

"The same principle. Only we won't wear 'em. We'll each make us a
pair of mats about four feet square. Big enough to support us. I've
crossed rotten ice on 'em lots of times. Stand on one and toss the
other ahead of you, step ahead, reach back, pick up the one you left,
and toss that ahead. That's easy. But I'm worrying about your not
seeing fresh water, Payne. This will be slow, hard work. In the heat
to-morrow we'll thirst like souls in purgatory. And we don't know how
far that mud reaches or what we'll be up against when we get across."

"Nevertheless, I'm going to try to cross it in the morning."

"Of course. So am I. Now let's build a bright camp fire so I can see
to do a bit of fancy Indian basket work."

XV

The sunburst of dawn woke them from a night of restless sleep. Roger
sat up sleepily blinking against the garish rays of the rising sun, and
conscious of an indefinite sense of discomfort. Sleepily he stumbled
to his feet, seeking a drink of water, and then, fully awakened, he
understood. His tongue was hot and dry and his swollen throat was
crying for a drink of the brackish water which he must not touch.

"Hell!" said Higgins hoarsely as he awoke and felt his throat. "It's
getting us quick. This heat just boils the moisture out of you. Do
your eyes hurt yet?"

"No."

"Mine do. I ate more of that meat than you did."

They found a sweet-bay bush near by and chewed the fragran