Nor did we waste much time bewailing our lack of a fire, for we
had lived so long on dried stuff that the opposite extreme was
rather pleasant than otherwise.
We tore him into strips as neatly as possible, stowing them away
beneath a ledge, a spot kept cool by the water but a foot below.
"That'll be good for a month," said Harry. "And there's more
where that came from. And now--"
I understood, and I answered simply: "I'm ready."
We had but few preparations to make. The solidest parts of the
fish which we had laid aside we now strapped together with one of
the extra spear-thongs and slung them on our backs. We secreted
the oars and raft and the extra spear as snugly as possible.
Then, having filled ourselves with raw fish and a last hearty
drink from the lake, we each took a spear and started on a search
wilder than any ever undertaken by Amadis of Gaul or Don Quixote
himself. Even the Bachelor of Salamanca, in his saddest plight,
did not present so outrageous an appearance to the eye as we. We
wore more clothing than the Incas, which is the most that can be
said for us.
We were unable to even guess at the direction we should take; but
that was settled for us when we found that there were but two
exits from the cavern.
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