His tribe were on the march with their flocks, and to avoid the steep woods and hills which there blocked their course, they had followed the level and open beach at the foot of the cliff, aware, of course, of the gap which Felix had found.

While they were talking, Felix saw the cloud of dust raised by the sheep as the flocks wound round a jutting buttress of cliff.
His friend explained that they marched in the night and early morning to avoid the heat of the day.

Their proposed halting-place was close at hand; he must go on and see that all was clear.

Felix accompanied him, and found within the wood at the summit a grassy coombe, where a spring rose.

The shepherd threw down his spear, and began to dam up the channel of the spring with stones, flints, and sods of earth, in order to form a pool at which the sheep might drink.