And Mark thoroughly realised the fact that they were lost.
Chapter Thirty Seven.
How Mark sought the Clue.
Were you ever lost? Most probably not; and hence you will hardly be able to realise the strange sensation of loneliness, helplessness, and despair which comes over the spirit as the traveller finds that he missed his way and is probably beyond the reach of help in some wilderness, where he knows that he may go on tramping wearily until he lies down and dies.
Mark Strong’s case was not so bad, but he felt it painfully for many reasons. Among others there was the knowledge that he had utterly forgotten the injunction given to him to take care and not go too far; while another was the dread that though they had been nominally searching all day for the strange beast that had caused so much alarm, and seen nothing, now that he and his companion were helpless they might possibly stumble upon its cave.
“Oh, Billy, what have we been doing?” he cried impatiently.
“Well, Mr Mark, sir, I don’t know as we’ve been doing o’ hanything pertickler.”
“But we’ve lost our way.”