t gorge not far from the well-like tunnel
entrance.

It was a long, hot walk, for Nic felt it would be wise to take advantage
of every bit of cover whence he could look back to see if he were
watched. Then, satisfied that the coast was clear, he went on and
reached the dense belt which ran all along by the edge of the precipice,
feeling that a couple of hours' more walking would bring him to the
mouth of the cavern.

He would not be back before dark, he knew, even if he found the convict
directly; but he felt that perhaps he would not be questioned, and he
would have placed the fugitive upon his guard.

Nic went pretty boldly onward, till he came within a mile of the
opening, and then he sat down to rest and think.

He dared not now go straight to the place, as it was still possible that
he might be watched. For Brookes had been so long amongst the blacks
that he had picked up a great many of their habits, and for aught he
knew, the man might be tracking him still--in all probability was.

To meet this difficulty, then, Nic started again; but went away at a
right-angle, struck off again, and zigzagging here and there, he slowly
drew nearer and nearer to the opening.

The sun beat down heavily in the treeless parts, but Nic heeded it not.
He was anxious to reach the convict, give him a word of warning, and get
back as rapidly as possible, unseen; and how to do this exercised all
his thoughts.

Every now and then, as he crept along, stooping amidst the bushes, he
startled some wild creature--bird, reptile, or one of the numerous
kangaroo family--and, the animal darting away, Nic's heart throbbed with
satisfaction.

For it was a good sign: nobody had been there lately.

At last he was within a few hundred yards of the opening, and he took a
fresh curve so as to approach from the farther side, meaning to creep
among the rocks and drop down into the hole almost at a bound.

And now his excitement culminated, for in a few more minutes he would be
in the tunnel, and if fortune favoured him, would soon reach his friend,
warn him, and return in comparative peace.

He was congratulating himself upon having succeeded so well, when he
suddenly stopped short, half stunned by the thought which struck him.
There was that long tunnel with its many forkings to descend, and he had
no light, neither the means of getting one, nor candle, nor wood.

He went on again with his teeth set fast. He would do it, he thought,
even