last on a journey. Now, my lads,
come along. Water."

The doctor led the way, and the horses followed like a couple of dogs.
Nic was following too, with the sensation strongly upon him that he
should like to go down on all-fours and follow like a dog, for walking
seemed to be a mode of progress to which he was not accustomed.

"Wait a moment, Nic," said his father. "Unfasten the dogs and lead them
here. They must want water too."

Nic went to where the dogs were chained to the tail of the waggon,
trying to walk firmly and erect, but it was hard work, for his legs
seemed to be independent of his body, and there were moments when he
felt as if he had none at all.

But he tried not to show it, and while the men were unyoking the oxen,
which immediately began to graze on the rich, succulent grass, Nic
proceeded to unchain the dogs.

The task was not so easy as it looked, for the collies were frantic at
the thought of being unfastened, and barked and leaped about wildly. To
make matters worse, they had been hard at work trying to strangle one
another on the way by leaping over their chains, and tying them up in an
almost inseparable knot, one which refused to yield to his fingers; and
after many tries Nic appealed to Brookes.

"I wish you'd come and unfasten this," he said. "I want to take the
dogs to water."

"Take the dogs to water!" grumbled the man. "Why can't they take
themselves? Hi! Leather! Come and untie these dogs."

The younger man left the oxen he was loosening, and approached Nic in a
surly way, hardly glancing at him; but for a few moments the chain-knot
baffled him, while the dogs bounded about wildly.

"Hold them by the collars for a minute," said Leather harshly.

Nic obeyed, feeling mentally lower now, for he seemed to be the servant
instead of the other.

Then he felt better, for the man softened a little in his manner.

"Poor brutes!" he said: "prisoners and thirsty. Steady, my lads,
steady!"

"Oh, they won't be prisoners long," said Nic. "Father's afraid that
they'd run back and try and get on board the ship or to the governor's
house."

"There you are," cried the man, placing the chains in his hand, when, as
if scenting out the water, the two collies started off, with eyes
starting and tongues hanging out of their mouths, tugging and striving
to get on, and forcing Nic to follow at a trot, his legs hurting him for
the first few moments horribly.

They were not long reach