"I wish I could see your face," went on the other. "It's rather odd, this--two fellows who don't know each other talking in the dark. I don't even know your name."
"Halliday," said John, adding with a laugh, as he struck a match; "take a good look while the light lasts."
By the feeble light each saw a clean-shaven face burnt almost the colour of copper by the sun.
"You aren't a bad-looking chap, and my name's Ferrier," said the stranger. "Can we do anything, do you think?"
A listener might have smiled at the quick transition from banter to serious business. During the brief illumination, John had observed, how thin and worn Ferrier looked, and it seemed to help him to make up his mind.
"Well," he said, "it's risky, but I vote we make a bolt for it."
"Now?" asked Ferrier quietly.
"No, but you'll do it, I can see. You don't say, 'How can we?' You see, we can't expect help for two days at the least, and it may be much more. You look worn out as it is, and another day without proper food might do for you. But we can save time by fighting our way southward, though it'll be a pretty risky business, as I said. The best time to clear out will be just about dawn; the fellows outside will be dead tired with watching and won't expect any movement then. With luck we may get a mile or two away before they find out we've gone."
"Why not start in the dark?"
"Safer not, I think. We could easily be rushed in the darkness, and any damage we might do among them wouldn't have half the moral effect it would have in the light, because they couldn't see it. Now give me an idea how the land lies round this place: I only saw it from the side I came in at."