“No need to say it, sir. I’m as hot as hot. Brings me out in a prespiration.”
“St! don’t talk so loudly, Ned. The place echoes so.”
At that moment the man laid his hand upon Jack’s arm and pointed downward.
The lad followed the direction of the pointing hand, to see that a group of the blacks were coming in their direction, and for the moment Jack felt that they must be seen, until he saw that they were standing well in the shadow.
His first impulse was to catch Ned’s arm, stoop down and hurry away to reach the shelter of the trees, but Ned stopped him.
“No good, sir. We should be seen. Let’s go right in here.”
“What, to be trapped?”
“They mightn’t come in here, sir, and if they did, perhaps they couldn’t find us. Anyhow they’re sure to see us and come after us if we go outside.”
The wisdom of the words was evident enough, and with a sigh Jack drew back with his companion, startling some birds from a shelf where they seemed to be nesting within reach of his hand, and sending them rushing out uttering their alarm notes.
“Are we in far enough, Mr Jack?” said Ned.