xix DICK'S STORY 321 



after we had left, but were bound to be here before 

 very long, as they had drunk nothing since leaving 

 the waggons, and their very lives now therefore 

 depended on their getting to the water quickly. I 

 said I would wait till midday, and then, if they had 

 not turned up by that time, ride back on the cattle 

 tracks to look for them. In the meantime the only 

 thing to do was to rest, as we had no food of any 

 sort with us, and were therefore unable to satisfy 

 our hunger. I was very tired and sleepy, as well 

 as hungry, having had no rest whatever for three 

 consecutive nights, nor any food for more than 

 thirty-six hours, so when I lay clown in a sort of 

 little cave amongst the rocks, where the sun would 

 not reach me the whole day, I soon went off into 

 a deep dreamless sleep, from which I was awakened 

 late in the afternoon by Tinkarn, who informed me 

 that Dick had just turned up, riding Collison's spare 

 horse, but without the cattle. 



I soon learned what had happened. " After you 

 woke me and the herd-boys at the place where we 

 rested in the night," said Dick, " I saddled up my 

 horse, and then said to my companions, ' Let us 

 go ; the master has gone on with Tinkarn, and 

 all the Mangwato cattle have started.' But some 

 of the herd-boys said, ' No, Dick, let us rest a little 

 longer, for we are very tired. Then we will drive 

 the cattle on fast, as we can see the tracks of the 

 big herd that has gone on ahead very plainly in 

 the moonlight.' I was tired too," said Dick, "and 

 did not think a little delay would matter, so I tied 

 my horse to a tree and sat down again by one of 

 the fires. Our cattle were still all lying down then. 

 It was very foolish of me to sit down again, for, as 

 you know, I had led my master's oxen for two 

 nights previously through the deep sand, and was 

 therefore very tired and sleepy. After sitting down 

 again I don't remember anything, sleep must have 



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