The heavy wagon had remained upright, with the back
end and wheelssubmerged.
The moon had soared beyond the zenith and blazed
downwith supernatural whiteness. Erics head had been dragged throughthe mud. But
though Sterl strained his ears to the extent of painhe could not hear a sound. And
giving him her hands sheleaned to him and lifted a scarlet face. Mebbe he means
thethorseflesh has gone stale. Friday grins good-o, replied Sterl, grimly. Tinkit go
bush alonga white fella cowboypards!
Thet used to be thecase with the plains
redskins.
The fifty-yard wide belt of cattle headed for the
river and piledover the low bank.
If he had heard anything he did not indicatewhat or
whence. The leader gazed at these pioneer daughters with great luminous eyes,
andmade no further comment.
But it galls me, rejoined Sterl, and lapsed into
silenceagain.
Thenempty yore rifles pronto, reload, an
slope.
An you bet I shivered in my boots, replied Red.
Friday, whenanyone mentioned this dire possibility, looked blank.
Even with proper setting of the bones he may be a
cripple for life.
The drover shook his shaggy head, and ran skinned,
dirty fingers throughhis scant beard. Sterl saw a deadsteer, surrounded by
crocodiles, drifting down upon the teams. We cant stop Dann now, Slyter said,
grimly.
The odor of burnt powder permeated the
air.
Slyter spoke briefly in that jargon which the black
understood. There ensued a silence that seemed insupportable to Sterl.
Fridayintimated that we might be roasting next on their spits. The abo did not
resemble Friday inany particular.