ROUGH TRAVELLING. 283 After scrutinizing the landscape, however, he notîced some low élévations on the north that seemed to form the boundary of the marshy plaîn. A few trees were scattered along theîr summîts ; îf his party could get no other shelter hère, he hoped they would be able to find themselves free from any danger caused by the rîsing flood. " Push on, frîends, push :on ! " he cried ; " three mîles more, and we shall be out of this treacherous lowland." His words served to inspire a fresh confidence, and in spîte of all the previous fatigue, every energy was brought into play with renewed vigoun Hercules, in particular, seemed ready to carry the whole party, if it had been in his power. The storm was not long in begînning. The rising ground was still two miles away. Although the sun was above the horizon, the darkness was almost complète ; the over- hanging volumes of vapour sank lower and lower towards the earth, but happily the fuU force of the déluge which must ultimately come did not descend as yet Lîghtning, red and blue, flashed on every side and appeared to covcr the ground with a networlc of flame. Ever and again the little knot of travellers were in péril of beîng struck by the thunderbolts which, on that trceless plain, had no other object of attraction. Poor little Jack, who had been awakened by the perpétuai crashes, buried his face in terror in Hercules* breast, anxious, however, not to distress his mother by any outward exhibition of alarm. The good-natured negro endeavoured to pacify hîm by promises that the lightning should not touch him, and the child, ever confident in the protection of his huge friend, lost something of his nervousness. But it could not be long before the clouds would burst and discharge the threatened down-pour. " What are we to do, Tom ? " asked Dick, drawîng up close to the negro's side. " We must make a ruâh for it ; push on with all the speed we can.'^ •• But where ? " cried Dick.
- Straight on/' was the prompt reply ; " îf the raîn catches
us hère on the plain we shall all be drowned."
