"Pickaninny go down," replied the boy, pointing to a tiny foothold in the side of the hole.
"Well, boys," said Morton, who had been poking the sapling down vigorously and examining the point, "I don't see much to be got out of this. Evidently there's been one little family living on this hole, and now they've been dried out. It would take us two hours to open up this hole, and then we should probably get nothing for our pains."
"Water gone bung," repeated Billy.
"What do you say to following this flat? It's going partly in our direction, and may lead to something."
No one having anything better to suggest they resumed their journey once more, until a mid-day halt was made.
"Well, respected leader," remarked Brown, after the meal was finished and pipes were lit, "I'm afraid our horses will look mighty dicky to-morrow morning unless we get them a drink to-night."
Morton glanced lazily at them, where they stood grouped under whatever scanty shade they could obtain.
"They are beginning to look tucked up," he replied, "but we'll pull up something before dark."
"I sincerely hope so," said Brown as he stood up. "Go ahead once more, Captain Cook."
About four o'clock the open flat which they had followed grew narrower, until at last the scrub closed in entirely and they found themselves confronted by a thicker growth than any they had yet met with. The mulga having given place to a species of mallee.