|
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 55
Hi laughed silently, masking his mouth with a hand.
"String a rope all the way around your tent on the ground. No
snake will go over that, especially a horsehair rope. Your lasso
is the thing for that, Mrs. Gray. I will have Ping keep the fire
going and that will keep the skunks away. The insects and other
creeping things we can't stop, so we shall have to take our
chances with them. Sorry, but it was necessary to tell you. If you
are going to be desert travelers you must learn the desert."
"You are perfectly right, Mr. Lang," nodded Grace. "I am very glad
you have told us so much to-night, especially about skunks and
snakes. I will lay my lasso around the tent and sleep in perfect
security. Girls, let's turn in."
Emma dreamed of snakes that night and had nightmare, crying out in
her sleep and getting a violent shaking from Elfreda Briggs as her
reward. Otherwise, the night was peacefully passed.
Early on the following morning, before any of the outfit was
awake, except Ping, who seemed never to sleep, Hi Lang had caught
up his pony and ridden out on the desert and on to the spot at
which the girls had seen the mysterious horseman the day before.
Hi readily found the hoof-prints of the pony ridden by the man,
and examined them with keen interest. He observed other features
of the trail that might easily have escaped even a desert
wanderer's observation, and that told him much.
"I reckon there's going to be some lively doings before we've got
to the end of this journey," muttered the guide, assuming a
listening attitude, with head tilted to one side, eyes fixed on
the blue sky overhead. He stood motionless in that position for
many minutes. Finally arousing himself from his reverie, Hi
mounted his pony and galloped away towards the camp, reaching
there some time before the Riders were awake. Grace Harlowe
appeared about an hour later, and walked out over the desert a
short distance, inhaling the sweet morning air in long, delicious
breaths.
"What is it that smells so sweet?" she called to the guide, who
was busying himself about the camp, for there was a new and
strangely sweet fragrance in the air.
"That's another of the desert mysteries. Supposed to have been
rain somewhere. It's like a breath straight from heaven. I love
it!" Hi straightened up, and, throwing back his shoulders, inhaled
deeply.
Grace was thoughtful as she returned to camp, but it was not of
the desert she was thinking. Rather was it of the man who was
guiding them. He was a poet by nature, but did not know it. He was
intelligent and he possessed a mind and a power of reasoning far
beyond what one might look for in a man of his calling.
"Was the morning perfume what induced you to take such an early
ride, Mr. Lang?" asked Grace sweetly.
The guide gave her a quick glance.
"What makes you think I took a gallop this morning, Mrs. Gray?"
"In the first place your pony is not tethered where he was last
night, and, secondly, your trail, going and returning, is plain
out there," she said, with a gesture towards the desert.
"You're sharp," observed Hi briefly, and proceeded with his work
without offering further information. Grace believed, however,
that he had ridden out to look at the trail left by the solitary
horseman who had been watching their camp, but asked no further
questions. Hi would speak when ready to do so; that she knew.
The Overlanders moved at an early hour and made camp that night at
the water hole found by the guide the day before. Several pairs of
keen eyes frequently swept the horizon during the day, and again
on the following morning, for the mysterious horseman, but it was
three days later before he was again seen in the distance.
"What's the matter with my taking a shot at him?" demanded
Lieutenant Wingate.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|