|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 45
"Then the situation really is serious!" asked Grace.
"No, not yet, but we are on the verge of a serious situation. Yes,
that about expresses it. However, I have hopes that we may find a
tank about ten miles from here, one that I have never failed to
find some water in, though at times it has been a mighty slow
process to get it. I must get to the other end of the line now.
Good luck."
Several tanks were found during the next few hours, but not a drop
of water in any of them. It fell to Emma Dean to make a discovery,
however, that thrilled all within sound of her voice.
"Water!" she screamed. "Water!"
"I believe you are right. Hooray!" shouted Hippy Wingate.
"I know I am. It's a lake, a lake full of beautiful blue water!"
cried Emma. "Quick! Shoot to let the others know."
Instead of the agreed-upon single shot as the signal that water
had been found, Hippy Wingate emptied his revolver into the air,
then, urging on his weary pony, rode on ahead, with Emma
following, shouting and urging her pony to go faster that she and
Hippy might reach the precious water ahead of the others. Even
Hippy was excited at the sight that had burst so unexpectedly on
his smarting eyes, for there, a mile or so ahead, surely was a
body of water that the guide himself had not known of or he surely
would have told them.
Attracted by the shots, Hi Lang looked, first in the direction from
which the shots had come, then off across the desert. What he saw
led him to head towards Hippy and Emma, who themselves were
traveling as fast as they could make their ponies go.
Some of the other Overland Riders had followed Emma and Hippy,
they too having discovered the blue lake in the near distance.
The guide fired into the air, to recall the excited riders, but
they gave no heed to his signal.
"Stop!" he shouted when near enough to make himself heard. "Stop,
I say! You'll run your ponies to death."
"Water! Don't you see it?" cried Emma.
"No! That isn't water. Stop, I say!"
"The heat has gone to Hi's head," laughingly confided Hippy to
Emma. "All right, old man, just trail along behind us and we'll
show you," he flung back.
"Stop, Lieutenant! Listen to reason, won't you? What you see is a
desert mirage. There isn't a lake within a hundred miles of us."
Hippy Wingate brought his pony to a slow stop, and Emma, who had
heard, stopped about the same time.
"Mirage?" wondered Hippy stupidly.
"M--m--mister Lang, do--do you me--ean that wha--at we see isn't
wa--ater at all?"
"It's a mirage, I tell you. Get back to your positions!"
CHAPTER XIII
A STARTLING ALARM
Elfreda Briggs and Grace Harlowe did not give way to the panic
that had seized their companions. Both had seen the mirage, each
knew instinctively what it was, but when they saw Hi Lang overhaul
the two leaders, Grace and Elfreda hurried in from their positions
and joined their companions.
"Grace! Oh, Grace," moaned Emma as her friend rode up to them.
"Give me water or I shall die."
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|