CHAPTEE XXXV. 



A THUNDERSTORM IN THE GREAT THIRST LAND. 



Ruby's first and only Disobedience Having a Good Time A Bare Chase On the 

 Road again A Storm brewing Lightning A Halt Is the Wagon safe ? 

 A Suggestion that clears the Wagon in the twinkling of an Eye The Storm 

 subsides The Face of Nature next Morning I ride on to Soshong The 

 Silver Tree A Migration of Eeptiles Bonty overtakes me Near Kama's 

 Cattle-Kraals Ugly Natives Can't get Information as to my Way Sus- 

 picious People Must I sleep out ? Mr. Mackenzie's " Herd." 



THE first act of disobedience, in fact, the only one 

 perpetrated by Ruby, she was guilty of this afternoon, 

 immediately before trecking. I think, under all the 

 circumstances, the reader will say it was pardonable 

 when he hears what it actually was. 



Since I became her owner, she had seen none of her 

 own race, and doubtless possessing a love for society, 

 when she was turned loose among the horses belonging 

 to my acquaintances, she went in, in American parlance, 

 for having a good time. All Sunday forenoon she scam- 

 pered about, taking the lead in all descriptions of mis- 

 chief, her example being closely followed by her confreres. 

 However, we were obliged to keep several of the 

 attendants on the watch around them, for fear any of 

 the disturbers of the peace of last night might be 

 lurking in the locality. 



Although the horses were thus surrounded by a 

 cordon, the area of which could not exceed three or four 

 acres, there was among them such racing and chasing as 



