.
Wherever the dry bed of a stream was found the four spread along it,
minutely examining the sand which had lodged in the crevices; but still
with the same want of success, until, towards the evening of the third
day from leaving the flat, they reached the top. The timber was slight
and scraggy and the undergrowth ceased there, leaving an open space,
rock-strewn and rugged, but from whence a view could be obtained over a
wide expanse of country. They had had a particularly rough day's
journey from the previous night's camp. A small pool of water, stagnant
and stained with soil and dead leaves, had been discovered on a
scrub-covered ledge, and there the camp had been made. On starting in
the morning the water-bags had been filled and the horses had been
allowed to drink all they cared for; now that they had reached the top
the water in the bags was all they had, for there was none to be seen on
the rough, uneven surface. Neither was there any vegetation for the
horses to eat. There was evidently only one thing to be done. It was too
late to think of attempting to descend the hill that night, so a fire
was lit, a camp was made, and the horses secured. Wearied by the heavy
climb, the four men had few words for one another, and as soon as each
had had his meal, he rolled himself in his blanket and was asleep
without even waiting for a smoke.

At dawn they awakened to find themselves chill and damp. During the
night rain-clouds had gathered, and a steady, fine shower had fallen,
making them wet through. The fatigue from the previous day had caused
them to sleep too soundly to be awakened by anything until daylight, but
now that they were roused it was to discomfort. The fire was out, and
only after a prolonged search did they obtain enough dry wood to light
another and boil their billy.

As they were discussing their breakfast the rain increased, coming down
steadily and heavily.

"Two hours of this and the swamp below will be flooded," Peters said.

"And the track will be in a fine state too," Tony added.

"This comes of new chums prospecting and looking for a reef here, when
the whole countryside hadn't a trace of quartz," Palmer Billy put in
savagely.

He had discovered that the rain had somehow got to his accordion, and as
the instrument was not made to stand the wet, it had suffered seriously,
much to the disgust and indignation of its owner.

"And now we are here, nobody's even chipped a boulder," Murray said.