quite right. The water had come tumbling down from somewhere
high up the peak, and felt quite icy as they lay down upon their faces
amongst the stones and scooped it up out of a little moss-grown
rock-pool for a few minutes, before rising up to dry their faces,
feeling bright and elastic once more and wonderfully ready for the
evening meal, the preparations for which sent forth another scent far
more attractive than that which came from the ferns which grew in every
crevice of the rocks, and the pines whose aromatic resin shed a fainter
perfume now that the heat of the sun had died away.

So beautiful was the soft gloom in the valley, so delicious the warm
glow above, about the summit of the peak, that every one looked content
and dreamy, as they sat almost in silence about the camp-fire and
partook of their welcome repast.

"My turn to-night, Lee," said Wilton suddenly. "I don't think we shall
be disturbed--do you?"

"No; I feel sure that we got away unseen, and in an hour it will be so
still that you can hear the slightest sound."

"And so dark that an enemy could not find us."

"Till the moon rises," said Bourne, "and then I come on. I say, doctor,
you're going to have as idle a time as the boys."

"And I'm sure father wants it," said Chris sharply; "he nearly works
himself to death."

"And never felt better in my life," said the doctor, with a pleasant
laugh. "This mountain air is glorious after the work in those dreary
salt plains. But thank you all the same, Chris, my boy; you'll take
care that I am not quite worked to death, eh?"

"You won't let me," said the boy quickly.

"No," replied the doctor. Then changing the subject, he turned to
Griggs. "Just a word with you, neighbour," he said. "You feel pretty
confident about to-night, don't you?"

"Yes; we'll have a good rest, and to-morrow--"

"Well, what about to-morrow?" said the doctor, for the American paused.

"Strike right off to the south."

"Why?" said Wilton sharply.

"Because, grand as all this part is, it won't do. A man wouldn't dry up
with starvation and thirst in such a country as this, but get fat and
lazy. We're not anywhere near the map land yet."

"I'm afraid not," said the doctor; "but the climate is perfect. One
would like to settle here, for some things."

"One?" said Bourne. "I know two."

"Three," said Wilton.

"All of us," cried Chris.

"I didn't speak," said Griggs dryly.

"No; but you said you liked th