than ever, till Wilton
gave the doctor and Bourne a sharp look, and then said aloud--

"Oh, let them laugh it out; but I say, are those some of the
rattlesnakes coming after us?"

"Eh?" cried Ned, who was sobered in an instant, and sat up to exclaim,
"Which way? Whereabouts?"

"I--I--I can't help it if they do come," gurgled out Chris. "Oh,
father, plea-please stop me; it hurts. Gi-give me something--a drop of
water."

"Yes, the boy's quite hysterical," said the doctor. "Water. Ah! Where
are the kegs?"

All looked round, but no kegs were visible. There was the mule that
should have borne them, though, with the rough pack-saddle upon which
they had been lashed one on each side, twisting its head round and
striving to reach a fly that was busy at work depositing its eggs in the
animal's coat, the teeth being not long enough to scrape it out.

"Why, the water-kegs have gone!" cried the doctor wildly.

"Here, catch hold of the mule, somebody," cried Griggs, and Chris was
sobered in an instant, for the water represented life to all, and it was
no time for laughing then.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

IN A STRANGE NEST.

Chris's mirth had passed away as quickly as it came, and he sat erect in
his saddle.

"Going back to look for the kegs, Griggs?" he said faintly.

"Yes, of course, unless you like the job," was the gruff reply.

"I'll go with you," said Chris briskly.

"Then you'll have to nip your pony's ribs pretty tightly," cried Griggs,
"for the moment he sees a snake he'll spin round and bolt."

"I'll mind," said Chris, setting his teeth.

"Come on, then."

The pair rode off back along the track littered with their impedimenta,
while the doctor and the others began to try and reduce the loads of the
mules in difficulty to something like order.

"Oh dear, what a muddle!" cried Chris, as they went back at an amble.
"Why, half the things are lying about."

"Not a quarter," said Griggs gruffly, as his eyes scanned not only the
scattered necessities, but every stone and scrap of dry, parched-up
growth.

"Think any of the rattlers will be about?" said Chris.

"I dunno. I want to set eyes on those two tubs."

But the tubs were not visible, and the pair rode on till they felt that
at any moment they ought to be in sight of the enemies that put horse
and mule to flight.

Still nothing was visible. The last-kicked-off pack had been passed,
but there were no tubs, and the part of the desert where th