well known signs of water, with
an encouraging smile, if, indeed, a smile could be seen when a man's
face is plastered over an inch thick with dust; but at any rate we were
willing to consider it as an expression of joy; although, perhaps, some
people might have thought our countenances resembled those of fiends
rather than human beings, for no flesh was visible, and the eyes looked
any thing but inviting, inflamed as they were by heat and dust.

"There is water close at hand?" I gasped, as the convict pointed to the
dark green line.

"Yes; and plenty of it," he replied, snapping his long whip, and
encouraging his tired animals with a hoarse shout.

The brutes appeared to sniff water even in the hot air, for they bent
their sturdy necks to the yoke with renewed energy, and plodded along at
a rate that required all of our exertions to keep beside the team.

In an hour's time we were standing upon the banks of a stream that had
forced its way through the level prairie, and which, during the rainy
season was unfordable; but now, when the hot sun had drank up most of
its water, a child could have passed over and not wet its knees.

It required the united exertions of all three of us to prevent the oxen
from rushing down the banks of the rivulet, and quenching their thirst
before the formality of unyoking had been gone through with. The
stock-whip was often raised, and its long lash exercised with terrible
severity, and every time it touched the flanks of the brutes, a small
piece of skin not larger than a sixpence was clipped from their
quivering flanks, leaving the flesh exposed to the mercy of the numerous
insects which hovered in the air and darted upon the defenceless spots
with the greediness of starvation.

"It's a shame," cried Fred, indignantly, "to torture poor animals that
way."

"Would you have them plunge down the banks of the stream, over-turn the
cart, spoil my cargo of goods, and perhaps lose two or three animals by
strangulation?" demanded the convict, with the first symptoms of
irritation that we had witnessed during our journey.

"No, I would not certainly desire to witness any thing of the kind; but
I still think that it is a harsh way of treating animals," cried Fred
dogmatically.

"I used to think so, and perhaps am of the same opinion still; but I
have too much confided to my charge to suffer loss for the want of a few
applications of the whip. After you have been in the country a few
years,