The declivities diminished and became damp.

Here and there ran narrow streams, which indicated that the sub-soil enclosed everywhere a watery network.

During the last day's march the caravan had kept along one of these rivulets, whose waters, reddened with oxyde of iron, eat away its steep, worn banks.

To find it again could not take long, or be very difficult.

Evidently they could not descend its impetuous course, but it would be easy to follow it to its junction with a more considerable, possibly a navigable, affluent.
Such was the very simple plan which Dick Sand determined upon, after having conferred with old Tom.
Day came, all their companions gradually awoke.