n of feeling from exultant hope to
sudden despair.

Wills, who had ever the greater control of himself, now walked in all
directions to make a careful examination, followed at a little distance
by King.

Presently he stopped, and pointing to a tree, into the bark of which had
been newly cut the words--

'DIG.
'April 21, 1861'

he said:--

'_King, they are gone!_ They have only gone to-day--there are the things
they have left!'

The two men immediately set to work to uncover the earth, and found a
few inches below the surface a box containing provisions and a bottle.

In the bottle was a note, which was taken to Burke at once, who read it
aloud:--

'Depot, Cooper's Creek,
'April 21, 1861.

'The depot party of the Victorian Exploring
Expedition leaves this camp to-day to return to
the Darling.

'I intend to go S.E. from Camp 60, to get into our
old track near Bulloo. Two of my companions and
myself are quite well; the third--Patten--has been
unable to walk for the last eighteen days, as his
leg has been severely hurt when thrown by one of
the horses.

'No person has been up here from the Darling.

'We have six camels and twelve horses in good
working condition.

'WILLIAM BRAHE.'

When the leader had finished reading it, he turned to the others and
asked if they would start next day to try to overtake Brahe's party.

They replied that they could not. With the slightest exertion all felt
the indescribable languor and terrible aching in back and legs that had
proved fatal to poor Gray. And, indeed, it was as much as any one of
them could do to crawl to the side of the creek for a billy of water.

They were not long in getting out the stores Brahe had left, and in
making themselves a good supper of oatmeal porridge and sugar.

[Illustration: 'King, they are gone!']

This and the excitement of their unexpected position did much to revive
them. Burke presently decided to make for a station on the South
Australian side which he believed was only one hundred and twenty miles
from the Cooper. Both Wills and King wanted to follow down their old
track to the Darling, but afterwards gave in to Burke's idea. Therefore
it was arranged that after t