An hour she waited, till Changalilo appeared noiselessly in the firelight. He saluted in silence.
'What has happened?' she forced herself to ask.
He did not speak. Her eyes, which had been trying to read his expressionless features, fell till they rested on his hand decorously holding a letter. She snatched it.
'Darling,' it read, 'we're saved. Just seen a camp fire in the bush. Chang says it's a white man. Will spend night with him and join you to-morrow. All my love.—DICK.'"
* * * * * * *
Ross broke off. He remarked that the air was a little cooler and that he thought he could snatch a little sleep in the interval between stifling night and sweltering day.
We went below. As we reached the companionway:—
"To-morrow," he said. "I'll tell you how optimistic was that letter. No will-o'-the-wisp ever led wayfarer farther from safety than that camp fire led Dick."