ither did the application of
their bath. Chris stepped into the rock-pool, took a couple of paces,
and stood right in the middle of the descending broken water, uttered a
gasp or two, stepped out, and began to apply a rough home-made towel
with tremendous energy.

"Is it cold?" said Ned, with a preliminary shiver.

"Ugh! Horrid!" was the smothered reply.

The words seemed to check Ned, but the shock had to be suffered, and he
too stepped into the natural shower-bath, and sprang out again, to
follow his companion's example.

"Feel sleepy now?" cried Chris, with a laugh, and in quite a different
tone of voice.

"Sleepy? Who could?" was the reply, punctuated with gasps. "My! Isn't
it icy this morning!"

"Yes. Washed all the snarl out of you, old chap," cried Chris merrily.
"I say, you did sound disagreeable."

"Oh, I like that!" said Ned. "Why, a bear with a sore head was nothing
to you."

"Humph!" grunted Chris, feeling too guilty to defend himself. "I say,
feel cold now?"

"No; burning hot," was the reply. "I say, what a pity there are not
falls like this all over the salt desert."

"There'd be no salt desert if there were," said Chris, who was now
dressing rapidly in the increasing light. "They'd soon wash all the
salt away. Look sharp: old Griggs will be shouting directly."

The word "Breakfast!" came almost as he spoke, and as the boys hurried
towards the fire, fully alert now and ready for anything, they saw that
the mules were all laden but the one which carried the kitchen, as they
called it, and this beast was feasting in company with the ponies.

"Oh, I say, father, it isn't fair," cried Chris, in response to the
morning greeting. "You know I like to help load."

"Yes, my boy, but we woke earlier than usual, and I wanted you two to
have a good rest, for we shall have a long day."

Ned was making a similar protest to his father, who responded by telling
him that he would be tired enough before night.

The words proved to be quite true, for they had a long, long journey
through rugged valley, up steep mountain side, down precipitous gulch,
and across many a roaring torrent, one of which necessitated the use of
knotted-together ropes to ensure that the mules with their loads were
not swept away.

For in spite of the descents they were gradually ascending into a higher
mountainous region which grew more and more grand, while,
notwithstanding the fierce heat of the sun, fatigue seemed