“He has come upon them,” I said, with my heart beating faster and a curious sensation of sluggishness attacking my legs.
“Yes, he has found something,” said the doctor; and as I glanced round I could see that Jack Penny had my complaint in his legs a little worse than I. But no sooner did he see that I was looking at him than he snatched himself together, and we went on boldly, feeling a good deal encouraged from the simple fact that Gyp came back to meet us wagging his tail.
As we reached the spot where Jimmy was watching, he drew back to allow us to peer round the block of stone, saying softly:
“Dat’s um. Black fellow just gone long.”
To our surprise there were no natives in the hollow into which we peered, but just beyond a few stunted bushes I could see smoke arising, so it seemed, and the black whispered:
“Black fellow fire. Cookum damper. Roastum sheep’s muttons.”
“But there is no one, Jimmy,” I said.
“Jus’ gone long. Hear Jimmy come long. Run away,” he whispered.
“That is no fire,” said the doctor, stepping forward. “It is a hot spring.”
“Yes, yes, much big fire; go much out now. Mind black fellow; mind spear killum, killum.”