d movement both difficult and disagreeable. Long before night
their clothes were covered, their mouths filled, and their eyes sore.

But all that was nothing. Long before night a far greater grievance was
felt,--the want of water.

In their hurry to escape from the desolate scene at the kraal, Von Bloom
had not thought of bringing a supply in the wagon--a sad oversight, in a
country like South Africa, where springs are so rare, and running
streams so uncertain. A sad oversight indeed, as they now learnt--for
long before night they were all crying out for water--all were equally
suffering from the pangs of thirst.

Von Bloom thirsted, but he did not think of himself, except that he
suffered from self-accusation. He blamed himself for neglecting to
bring a needful supply of water. He was the cause of the sufferings of
all the rest. He felt sad and humbled on account of his thoughtless
negligence.

He could promise them no relief--at least none until they should reach
the spring. He knew of no water nearer.

It would be impossible to reach the spring that night. It was late when
they started. Oxen travel slowly. Half the distance would be as much
as they could make by sundown.

To reach the water they would have to travel all night; but they could
not do that for many reasons. The oxen would require to rest--the more
so that they were hungered; and now Von Bloom thought, when too late, of
another neglect he had committed--that was, in not collecting, during
the flight of the locusts, a sufficient quantity of them to have given
his cattle a feed.

This plan is often adopted under similar circumstances; but the
field-cornet had not thought of it: and as but few locusts fell in the
kraals where the animals had been confined, they had therefore been
without food since the previous day. The oxen in particular showed
symptoms of weakness, and drew the wagon sluggishly; so that Swartboy's
voice and long whip were kept in constant action.

But there were other reasons why they would have to halt when night came
on. The field-cornet was not so sure of the direction. He would not be
able to follow it by night, as there was not the semblance of a track to
guide him. Besides it would be dangerous to travel by night, for then
the nocturnal robber of Africa--the fierce lion--is abroad.

They would be under the necessity, therefore, of halting for the night,
water or no water.

It wanted yet half-an-hour of sun