d forward with renewed animation; and a long march was
made in the course of the afternoon.

Just as the sun was setting, several huts were descried to the south;
and our travellers continued towards them, quite confident that a full
supply of water would be found near the huts, which, as they drew
towards them, proved to be a kraal of the Bechuanas. The fear of losing
their cattle was no longer felt.

Before arriving at the huts, their owners came forth to meet them.
Their first salutation was a statement of their surprise that any
travellers could have succeeded in reaching their secluded habitation.

Swartboy replied to this by a request to be conducted to the nearest
place where water could be obtained,--of course to the stream, pools, or
wells that supplied the kraal. The answer was astounding. It was that
they knew of no open water within less than a day's journey! Months had
passed since any of them had seen such a thing, and all the inhabitants
of the kraal had been living without it!

"What does this mean?" demanded Hendrik. "Surely they are telling lies.
They don't want to give us the water and their story is but a
subterfuge to conceal it. Tell them, Swart that we don't believe them."

The Bushman did as he was desired, but the Bechuanas only reiterated
their previous statement.

"What nonsense!" exclaimed Arend. "They take us for such fools as to
suppose people can live without water! They have a supply somewhere.
We must make a search for it and help ourselves."

"No, baas Arend," interposed Swartboy. "Don't do this. They show us
water by an by. We better wait."

Acting under the advice of the Bushman, the oxen were unladen, and a
camp established close to the kraal. Although pretending to be
satisfied with the statement of the Bechuanas, that they were living
without water, our travellers had their eyes on the alert, sending
glances of inquiry in every direction, in the hope of discovering where
the much-desired element was kept. They saw not the slightest
indications of stream or pool, well or water-hole, of any kind. The
place all around had the same sterile appearance as that of the country
over which they had journeyed for the last two days, and certainly
things looked confirmatory of the Bechuanas' statement. After all, they
might be telling the truth! It was not very cheering to think so; and
our travellers became quite disconsolate.

Swartboy, however, did something to assu