all.

But in one case a deep growl from Buck Denham seemed to comfort the
great sleek beasts, and a word or two in his highly pitched voice from
Dunn Brown turned the ponies' stamping into a gentle whinny.

At last the only sounds within the walls of the kraal were the low
whispering of the two boys.

"How far is it to black Mak's big stones, do you think?" said Mark.

"Eh?" was the reply. "You heard what I said."

"That I didn't!"

"Then you were asleep. I thought you were."

"Nonsense!" said Dean indignantly. "I had only just lain down. What
was it you said?"

Mark laughed, to his cousin's great annoyance. "I said, How far is it
to black Mak's big stones?"

"A whole day's journey."

"Nonsense! Why, this evening they looked quite near."

"Yes, but the doctor said that was the refraction."

"Well, I hope it will refract some of the gold when we get there," said
Mark. "I want to see what the place is like."

"We don't want the gold," said Dean. "Yes, we do. We should like to
get some of it as curiosities. But oh, I say, doesn't it seem like all
pother about what the doctor said? There's none of the cool air from
the veldt coming in here under the waggon tilt." Dean made no reply.

"I shall never go to sleep in here like this. My hair's getting quite
wet. Isn't yours?"

_Burrrr_!

"I say, Dean, don't be so horribly wide awake. I can't go to sleep if
you are. Can you?"

"Eh?"

"Feel sleepy?" said Mark mockingly. "That I wasn't. I wish you
wouldn't be so fond of trying to make jokes when we come to bed."

"Well, you can do as you like," said Mark, laughing, "but I'm going to
lie with my head outside in the air."

"Eh? Yes, it is hot," said Dean, turning over. "I say, what are you
doing?"

"Getting up."

"What for? Can't be morning yet."

"Oh, no," said Mark, laughing; "not quite. Oh, what a fellow you are!
There, rouse up and let me throw a blanket over the big chest, and when
I have tied back the tilt we will lie with our heads out there, and
perhaps we shall be able to breathe the cool air."

This proved to be the case, with the result that Dean went off to sleep
instantly, while Mark kept dozing off and waking again with a start.

At last, tired of the uneasy feeling that troubled him, he crept out
from the tail end of the waggon and stood looking about the enclosure,
where all was still save the heavy breathing of one of the ponies or
that of the bullocks.

"Phew