“I could not say that you were mistaken, Harry,” said Mr. Bruce, “but it seems very probable that we would see some light if these natives were again on our track.”
“Yes,” said Harry, “I don’t suppose they have dark lanterns which would give them light, but would still keep the light hid from us.”
“They might have such lights,” said Mr. Graham, “but we would see the reflection on the ground, at least.”
They had now started again when Harry stopped, saying:
“How do we know that we are moving in the right direction? We may have turned completely in our moving about, and may now be making a bee line for the lake.”
The party stopped, looking at each other in a puzzled way. Mr. Bruce’s face lighted up though as he asked:
“Did you touch my torch, Harry?”
“No,” answered Harry.
“Well, and then we can depend on it, that we are moving in the same direction that we were before, for I laid down the torch with the burnt end looking in the direction we were going when I laid down, and when I picked it up and lighted it again, after you had awakened us, I remember I was standing facing the same way, and I did not turn again before we started.”
“But that tells nothing,” said Mr. Graham, “for we may be walking round and round in a circle not a mile in circumference. We have nothing to guide us, and it very often occurs, in cases of this kind, that the travelers who think themselves miles away from their starting point will, the next moment, bring up at the same spot.”