The cart had sunk down till its flat bottom lay on the top of the quicksand, and there appeared to float, for it sunk no further.

A white cloud that had winged its way up from the south-west now drifted over the moon, and became black except at its edges.

The world grew much darker, and it seemed colder, if that were possible.
It soon occurred to Caius that the two men now added to their party had either met O'Shea by appointment, or had been lying in wait for the cart, knowing that the quicksand was also waiting to engulf it.

It appeared to him that their motives must be evil, and he was not slow to suspect O'Shea of being in some plot with them.

He had, of course, money upon him, enough certainly to attract the cupidity of men who could seldom handle money, and the medical stores were also convertible into money.