Twice over they came to a halt, the first time being at the edge of a narrow lake which resembled a piece cut off from a tolerably wide river, whose ends had been filled up by the growth of reeds.
Noon was long past, but the air was so fresh and invigorating and their level track so easy to follow, that the doctor decided upon pushing on again for another couple of hours, before making a final halt for refreshment, and then turning back.
This final stoppage was beneath a clump of fairly grown trees whose boughs formed a goodly shade from the westering sun, and all revelled in the beauty of the view forward as they partook of their scanty meal.
“Glorious!” said the doctor at last. “We can’t do better than make our way up here to-morrow. The journey for the mules will be easy enough if we bear more to the left, and they ought to get up here by night.”
The others agreed, Griggs being full of approbation.
“And two days will easily take us right up the slope of that mountain. Shouldn’t wonder, if we started early enough, if we did it in one. But hadn’t we better be going back now, sir?”
“Yes, at once,” said the doctor. “Can you pick up our trail now and then, only leaving it when we can cut off some of the way?”
“I shouldn’t wonder if I could, sir,” was the reply. “I’ll try.”
“That’s right; but we must spread-out a little, and be on the lookout for a shot or two, so as to have something to cook when we reach camp.”
“Partridges, father,” said Chris, unslinging his gun.