Harry called a halt; and Abdool dismounted, and found that his suspicion was correct, and that they had certainly left the road.
"This is awkward," Harry said, "for we do not know how long it is since we left it, or whether it is to the right hand or left."
The night was indeed a very dark one, a mist almost covered the sky, and it was only occasionally that a star could be seen.
"We must go carefully, or we shall fall in one of these morasses."
Two troopers were sent off, one to the right, the other to the left. One of them, when he had gone about a quarter of a mile, was heard to shout that he was fast in the morass. Abdool and four of the men rode to his assistance, and presently returned with him, having with the greatest difficulty extricated his horse. Nothing had been heard of the other trooper. Again and again Harry shouted, but no reply came back. They waited half an hour, and then concluded that either the man, on his return, had missed his way altogether; or that he had fallen into a swamp, when they were too far off to hear his voice, and had perished there.
Harry again gave the word for them to move on, this time at a walk. Abdool preceded them on foot. Presently he said:
"The ground is getting softer, sahib. I think that we are approaching a swamp."
"We had better all dismount," Harry said, setting the example.
"Now, let each move in different directions, going very cautiously, and calling out if he comes upon soft ground."
He himself, with two of the troopers, remained with the horses. One after another, the men came upon swampy ground; one only continued to find it firm.