We neither of us moved, but crouched there, listening to our beating hearts, and expecting to have either a shot sent in our direction, or to see part of the men come rushing toward us.
At last, after what seemed to be quite ten minutes, a voice said—
“Hear that?”
“Yes,” was growled.
“What was it?”
“Don’t know.”
They began talking again slowly, and by degrees the conversation grew general and loud.
“Go along,” I whispered, after carefully removing the dead branch, and once more our rustling progress began.
Oh, how slow it was, and how I longed to jump up and run. But we were in the opening of the little valley now, and our only chance was to creep on till we were well beyond the light cast by the fire, and so we persevered.
At last, after creeping along inch by inch, we paused, for in front of us the undergrowth ceased, and I saw an open patch of sand faintly lit by the fire, and across this we must pass to reach the shelter beyond.