‘What direction shall you take?’ said Hamilton.
‘Due south, until I strike the head waters of the Sturt and the Warburton. These I shall follow down, and make my depôt wherever I discover a sufficiently tempting base.’
‘It has quite the heroic ring about it,’ said Wilfred. ‘But for certain reasons, I would like to follow you. How about provisions?’
‘I take a year’s supply of rations and clothing. We drive our meat before us.’
‘And the blacks?’
‘I know all that can be known about them,’ said O’Desmond. ‘They recognise chiefs among the white men. If one does not fear them, they are to be dealt with like children.’
‘You will find it hard to quit your pleasant life at Badajos for the desert,’ said Wilfred.
‘Not at all; the sharper the contrast, the more easily is the change made. Besides, on such occasions mine is a well-organised expedition. I take my cook, my groom, my four-in-hand. What do you say? Come with me for the first week or two. I can promise you a chop broiled to perfection. I must show you my “reversible griller,” of which I am the proud inventor.’
Here the door was loudly knocked at, and being opened without further ceremony, disclosed the serious countenance of Wullie Teviot, apparently out of breath.
‘Maister Hamilton and gentlemen a’,’ he said, ‘I’m no in a poseetion to do my errand respectfully the noo, but hae just breath to warn ye that there’s a muckle bush-fire comin’ fast frae the direction o’ Maister Effingham’s. I trust we’ll no be the waur o’t.’