Once more he reviewed the situation. Here they were on the banks of a small, unknown river, with a vast tract of country, hitherto unvisited by Europeans, stretching southward--whither? Without proper equipment, ill-provisioned, and already weak with fatigue and meagre fare, how could he, let alone the two lads, hope to traverse the great, unknown desert? The river might prove to be one of those that eventually lose themselves in the sand or periodically dry up, or it might wax greater and stronger and join one of the immense tributaries of the Niger; but to return was out of the question. They must proceed, overcome their great difficulties, or in turn be overcome by them. At length Hugh awoke, feeling considerably refreshed, and, after being warned that strict vigilance was imperative, took the correspondent's place while the latter snatched a brief but well-earned rest. Presently Hugh was joined by his chum, and not until the sun was low in the heavens did they cease to maintain a careful and anxious lookout. But there was no sign of human beings. The Arabs, their fear of the jinns increased considerably by the non-return of their comrades, attempted no further pursuit. All that night Reeves kept watch, lying with his serviceable ear near the sand in order the more readily to detect the soft footfalls of approaching camels, or standing at intervals to stretch his aching frame and to gaze into the starlit desert. At daybreak the journey by the banks of the river began. In order to guard against possible surprise, the fugitives kept upon the ridge of hard-baked earth that followed the course of the stream at less than fifty yards from it. Without much exertion a steady pace could be maintained by the one who chanced to be afoot, while by taking turns at riding the camels a much greater distance could be covered. For four days the course of the river was followed, without signs of any other human beings. Occasionally a small patch of scrub would be seen, but beyond that there was no herbage upon which the camels could feed. For their masters there was as yet sufficient for their needs; but Reeves, though outwardly sanguine, could not ignore the fact that the supply would last but three days more. At the end of the fourth day, just as the fugitives were preparing to camp out for the night, Hugh pointed to a dark-brown object lying on the side of one of the sandhills. "Is that a man?" he asked. "It certainly looks like one," replied Reeves; "but if it is, he is certainly not attempting to conceal himself. Bring your muskets, lads, and we'll see what it really is." They had to traverse a distance of nearly four hundred yards before the correspondent, who was leading, breasted the slope of the last hillock that lay between them and the object of their search. "It was a man," announced Reeves. "The poor fellow has died, apparently from hunger and thirst."