The night came on swiftly. Diamond, we must make a dash for it! On, on!
An ant-hill or a stump overlooked as I tried to make out the timbers of a creek in the far distance, now wrapped in the evening haze, and I was sprawling on the ground, and Diamond had been thrown heavily as well. I limped over, and tried to mount—tried again and again, but each time a numbed knee refused to answer to the call.
I sat down to ponder things. That knee-cap—the swelling startled me for a moment. I might crawl, no more—crawl, and leave Diamond behind. But whither? That could not be thought of.
No sleep that night. And water—!
The bag—! No; it were better not. I tried to sleep.
Yet, that water—was it so very bad? I wasn't so thirsty back at the well; it would be palatable enough now.
I reached for it, and drank it greedily.
"Fool!" The reflection came instantly. "Now look out!"
How hot it was—stifling.