Not a rock, not a stone broke the monotony of the ground.

Again and again he ascended the low unevennesses, looking and searching for a camping place, shading his eyes from the glitter of sand and sky.
He tramped forward a little farther, then paused at length in a hollow between two breaks, resolving to make camp there.
Suddenly there was a shout.
"Hands up.

By damn, I got the drop on you!" McTeague looked up.
It was Marcus..