"Ha, ha! Yes, and poor Mr Bourne too. My word, didn't he holloa!"

"And no wonder," said Chris. "Wouldn't you have done the same?"

"I just should. I say, though, I hope they haven't shot any of those tough old gobblers, years old. They're as stringy as a fiddle. One just a full year old's the sort of fellow we want. Who'll be cook?

Your comrade Ned, I expect. If he has let the bird burn I'll never forgive him."

"There'll be no turkey, Griggs," said Chris.

"What! Why?"

"Because father won't have any firing."

"Well, they might trap one, or knock one over with a stick sent flying like a boomerang."

"Here, I say, don't!" cried Chris. "I'm so hungry too that it makes my mouth water. Here, I know what we shall have for supper."

"Yes, what?" cried Griggs eagerly.

"One of those big tins of preserved meat warmed up with water in the kettle like a thick soup, and damper cakes, and tea as well."

"And not a bad supper either, lad, for hungry folks. Glad of it, for I've no faith in Ned Bourne's cooking. He can make capital tea and coffee, but when it comes to roasting a turkey, or cutting it up and frying it in a pan, I'd beat him hollow. How much farther have we to go?"

"About a mile," said Chris, and he had hardly spoken before from out of the darkness ahead came the Australian cry--_Coo-ee_!

"There's Ned," said Chris eagerly. "Come to meet us.--_Coo-ee_! Is it all right?"

"Yes, all right," came back.

"Tain't," said Griggs gruffly. "He's left the fire, and that turkey will burn."

"Soup," said Chris merrily.

"Well, soup, then," growled Griggs. "Why can't he stick to his work?"

"Anyone with you?" cried Chris.

"No; I came on alone. Where's Griggs?"

"Here I am," replied the American to the voice out of the darkness. "I say, how came you to leave that turkey?"

"Turkey! What turkey?"

"The one you were cooking for our supper."

"Oh, father's cook to-night; but there's no turkey."

"What, then?" said Griggs.

"Oh, a mess of tinned beef."

"There, I told you so," cried Chris.

"You never said a word about a mess," growled Griggs; "but I might have known. A nice mess it will be!"

Ned did not hear, for he was questioning and being questioned about the doings of the day, which had been as uneventful in camp as out of it.

Ten minutes later they were sitting near the fire enjoying the waiting supper, and in the reflection from the glowing embers Chris could see Griggs' face beaming with the smiles of satisfaction, as he made liberal use of a pewter spoon, and took semi-circular bites out of a hot bread-cake liberally ornamented with grey wood-ashes.

"How's the mess, Griggs?" said Chris merrily.

Griggs had only one word to say, and it fitted itself for usage as a long-drawn husky drawl.

The word was _Prime_!

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

A VICTIM.

"And you made it all out clear straight and took your bearings, doctor?"

said Griggs the next morning, as the last pulls were given to the mule-ropes--the last diamond-hitches made fast.

"Yes, and it will be as easy as steering a boat. I could see the blue mountains from up yonder distinctly, but I'm afraid they're more than a hundred miles away."

"Oh, I don't know, sir; distances are deceiving, and it all depends upon the weather. Why, I've seen a mountain look fifty miles nearer just before rain. Now then, is there anything else we ought to do?"

"I did everything yesterday that I thought right."

"Water-barrels well full?"

"Yes, and every bottle and tin as well."

"Good," said Griggs; "then the sooner we're off the better."

Wilton sighed as they mounted, and gave a last glance at the beauties of the gully in which they had encamped, and again soon after as the little train wound on, with Skeeter's bell chiming to the motion of his head, for at a turn before descending to the lower ground he had a glimpse of the far-spreading desert they were about to attack. It was beautiful in its way, but the grey monotony soon palled upon him who looked, and the eyes eagerly turned again to the refreshing green.

In a couple of hours the last shrub had been left behind, and every one drew his breath hard and set his teeth, in the determination not to be baffled by the lesser troubles likely to hinder their way; but all the same, sighs once more rose for the beauty of the scenes and the refreshing breath of the mountains, which was already rapidly giving place to the hot reek of the sand and salt.

For a time the boys were startled into wonderment at the change which came over the scene as the sun rose higher, for as the hazy mist that overspread the plain began to rise, there before them lay spread-out a wonderful expanse of water, one huge lake extending right to the horizon, dotted here and there with islands of beautiful form.

"Why, I didn't know--" began Chris.

"Nor I," cried Ned. "We shan't want for water."

They pressed on to join the doctor and Griggs, who were once more leading, and before either of the boys could open his lips to question, the former exclaimed--

"There, boys, you never saw the mirage so beautiful as that."