"As to provisions," replied Mrs. Weldon, "we have enough and to spare; and we shall be more than willing to share everything with you."
"That is well," answered Harris; "then there can be no reason why we should not start at once."
He was turning away with the intention of fetching his horse, when Dick Sands detained him. True to his seaman's instincts, the young sailor felt that he should be much more at his ease on the sea-shore than traversing the heart of an unknown forest.
"Pardon me, Mr. Harris," he began, "but instead of taking so long a journey across the desert of Atacama, would it not be far better for us to follow the coast either northwards or southwards, until we reach the nearest seaport?"
A frown passed over Harris's countenance.
"I know very little about the coast," he answered; "but I know enough to assure you that there is no town to the north within 300 or 400 miles."
"Then why should we not go south?" persisted Dick.
"You would then have to travel to Chili, which is almost as far; and, under your circumstances, I should not advise you to skirt the pampas of the Argentine Republic. For my own part, I could not accompany you."
"But do not the vessels which ply between Chili and Peru come within sight of this coast?" interposed Mrs. Weldon.
"No, madam; they keep out so far to sea that there would not be the faintest chance of your hailing one."