Towards the close of the second day he saw a slight line of bushes away down in a hollow on his right.
With eager steps he staggered towards them, and, on drawing near, beheld--blessed sight!--a stream of water glancing in the beams of the setting sun.
Dick tried to shout for joy, but his parched throat refused to give utterance to the voice.

It mattered not.

Exerting all his remaining strength he rushed down the bank, dropped his rifle, and plunged headforemost into the stream.
The first mouthful sent a thrill of horror to his heart; it was salt as brine! The poor youth's cup of bitterness was now full to overflowing.
Crawling out of the stream, he sank down on the bank in a species of lethargic torpor, from which, he awakened next morning in a raging fever.

Delirium soon rendered him insensible to his sufferings.

The sun rose like a ball of fire, and shone down with scorching power on the arid plain.