“Ten? Yes, quite that,” said Griggs dryly.
“Ah, they’re a long way off, Ned, my boy,” said Bourne thoughtfully. “How far do you make it, Griggs?”
“Well, sir, I should say it’s a hundred miles from here to the highest part of that peak.”
“A hundred miles!” cried Ned.
“Yes, and a good sixty to the hills about the foot.”
“Then we shan’t get there to-day,” said the doctor decisively.
“If we do half of it, sir, we shan’t have done badly,” replied Griggs; “but in thirty miles I fancy we shall have reached water, and be in a better country than we’re in now, worse luck.”
“What!” cried Chris.
“What I say, squire. We don’t want to go dawdling about in pretty places. We must go yonder for rest and water, say for a day or two, but the old prospector’s map won’t fit in there.”
“How do you know?” said Wilton sharply.