“It is of no use to go further,” the guide said.  “There are no houses near here to inquire at, and there are three or four more paths that turn off from here.  We must stop until morning, and then I will go on alone and make inquiries of shepherds and cottagers; but, you see, I thought that we should find them tonight.  If I work all day tomorrow, I shall expect three more dollars.”

“You shall have them,” Dominique said.  “Here is my blanket.  I will share one with one of my boatmen.”

The lad at once lay down and pulled the blanket over his head.  As soon as he did so, Dominique motioned to the two boatmen to do the same, and then went back along the track until he met Frank’s party.  As the hills were for the most part covered with trees almost up to their summits, Frank and his party had only to turn a short distance off from the path, on receiving Dominique’s news that the guide had stopped.

“It is half past one,” Frank said, holding the lantern, which the pilot had left with them, to his watch.  “We shall get four hours’ sleep.  You had better serve a tot of grog all round, George.  It will keep out the damp night air.”

One of the blacks was carrying a basket, and each of the men had brought a water bottle and pannikin.

“Put some water in it, lads,” Frank said, “and it would be a good thing to eat a bit of biscuit with it.”

Dominique had told Frank that the guide had made some remark about the two blacks dropping behind so often, and the latter took out his handkerchief, tore it into eight pieces, and gave it to him.

“Wherever you turn off, Dominique, drop one of these pieces on the path.  That will be quite sufficient.”

“Yes, sar; but you see we don’t know when we start up path whether it be right path or no.  We go up one, if find dat hit not de one dey go, den come back again and try anoder.  What we to do?”

After thinking for some little time, Frank suggested that Dominique’s best way would be to tell the guide that he was footsore, and that as several paths would have to be searched, he and one of the men would sit down there.  The other would accompany the boy, and bring down word when the right path had been discovered.

As soon as it became light Frank, without rousing the men, went out into the path and moved cautiously up it.  He had but just started when he saw Dominique coming towards him.

“All right, sar.  Boy gone on; he hunt about.  When he find he send Sam back to fetch me.  De oder stay with him.”

“Oh, you have sent both with him.”

“Yes, sar, me thought it better.  If only one man go, when he come back, boy could talk to people.  Perhaps talk too much, so sent both men.”

“That was the best plan, no doubt,” Frank agreed.  “I will join the men, and remain there until you come for me.”

“Dat best thing, sar.  People might come along, better dey not see you.”