Part 7 (1/2)

They searched about, and at length, to their infinite satisfaction, discovered a cask of pork and a case containing bottles of wine

”We are in luck,” said Saes of these parts will not drink the wine or eat the pork, so that weleft to us”

They broke open the cask of pork Having no ed to eat it rahile the wine did little towards quenching their thirst

”I would give h not a drop do I see anywhere”

”There s exist in the interior which lose themselves in the sand We must push inland in search of one, and carry as much food as we can on our backs, while we hide the rest, with the wine, in the sand”

Acting on this suggestion, the party provided themselves with broken spars to support their steps and serve as weapons of defence Before starting they climbed to the top of a sandhill to take a look-out, but no vessel was in sight The foa in and dashed sullenly on the beach

”While the gale lasts no vessel illingly approach near the shore,”

observed Stephen ”Water ant, and water we ly set out, and all that day pushed on eastward, and the next, and the next Their salt pork had turned bad, and the as nearly exhausted, and they ell-nigh starving At last, getting to the top of a sandhill to look out, Roger fancied he saw soreen trees in the distance

”There ain it”

In spite of the hot sun beating down on their heads they went on Still the oasis, if such it was, appeared as far off as ever Roger, whose strength, though he was the youngest, held out, did his best to cheer theo no farther, and sank down, begging the others to bring him water if they could find it In vain they tried to persuade hi, and they supported him for some distance till they came to another sandhill, where they placed hiht protection Having no fire-arms they could only leave him a pointed stick hich to defend hier to obtain water not only for theht rescue their shi+p when their eyes were cheered by a grove of trees, though still far off Roger acknowledged that they could not have been visible from where he had supposed he had seen them

”They are date-trees!” he exclaimed ”They will afford us food, and water we may hope to find under theladdened by the sight of a s out of the earth Falling on their knees they eagerly baled the water into their mouths with their hands Thus revived, Jumbo was able to climb one of the trees and obtain as ht of their old shi+pmate, but when the sun went down the sky became overcast, and to find him in the dark seeer ”I ao with you,” said Stephen

”I go too,” said Jumbo

And much as they would have enjoyed the rest under the trees, they started without delay Roger thought he knew the direction to take, and in the cool air of night travelling was easier than in the daytime

They did not trouble their heads about lions, or leopards, or beasts of prey; though ready to sink with fatigue, they went on till they fancied that they had reached the spot where they had left old Sam They shouted his na within hail of each other At length Jumbo cried out, ”Here he is, and he no speak” They hurried up, but poor Sa poured some water, however, down his throat, he soht you would never coive ain” After a second draught of water Sam was able to eat a few dates, and now declared that he was ready, if they wished it, to go with theer were both too tired to walk so far, and throwing themselves down under the shelter of the bushes they fell asleep The sun had already risen high when Roger awoke, and on going to the top of the sandhill to look out for the oasis, he saeen it and where he stood a number of objects He called Stephen, who joined him

”There are two parties on ca fro the sandhill they concealed theer, unable to restrain his curiosity, crept on one side whence he could see as taking place The fugitives had turned round toforward, in which the ca and leaping at each other, and he could hear their peculiar cries amid the clash of the weapons and the shouts of the combatants

Presently he saw a person, who had apparently been thrown fro speed towards the sandhill Roger drew back, and in another er came round to where the party lay He was a mere boy, dressed in loose trousers, a silk jacket, a shawl round his waist, and a turban on his head His alar on to avoid them, when Juently, telling him that they were friends On this he ca in every li,” said Stephen to Jumbo

”From the Ouadelins, who carriedArab