repaired, and everything else put to rights. Meantime the river had
fallen almost to its usual level, though the water-holes were united,
and it now ran in a regular current. The captain's chief regret was for
his maize crop; nothing could restore that, and he expected to obtain
scarcely a quarter of the produce he had looked for. It would be
necessary, therefore, to dispatch the drays some hundreds of miles to
obtain flour, and this must be done as soon as possible, before the
regular rainy season should set in. It would not last long, but during
that time many of the creeks would be impassable, and other places might
be flooded.

There was so much to be done that Captain Berrington did not wish to go
himself, and though Paul was always very useful at home, he determined
to send him in charge of the party. Paul would have liked to take
either Harry or Reggy, but they now worked so well together that his
father was unwilling to separate them, besides which they were able to
do a great deal of work, and had in addition to attend some hours in the
day to their studies, as Mr Hayward had resumed his duties as tutor,
the girls, as well as the boys, regularly attending the school.

Paul could not but feel proud at being so thoroughly trusted by his
father, and he hoped to perform his commission well; although he would
gladly have had a companion in his long and tedious journey.

The men who accompanied him had been some time in the captain's employ,
and were considered thoroughly trustworthy. He himself felt much more
anxious about the family. It was not only possible that the blacks
might return and cause them alarm, but he might not obtain flour where
he expected to find it. Although they would not in consequence be
actually in want of food, it would be a considerable privation to have
to go without bread. The captain had also confided to him a project Mr
Berrington and he had in view, of forming a new station further up the
country. They had not, however, fixed on it; but beyond the ranges to
the north-west the captain had heard that a fine region existed, and he
proposed forming a party to explore it. He had promised Paul that he
should go, and told him that he proposed setting off at the termination
of the rainy season. Paul, having bid farewell to his family,
accompanied by Harry and Reggy, who were going to see him a few miles on
the way, rode after the drays, which had started at daybreak that
morning