Nothing had been heard of the other trooper.

Again and again Harry shouted, but no reply came back.

They waited half an hour, and then concluded that either the man, on his return, had missed his way altogether; or that he had fallen into a swamp, when they were too far off to hear his voice, and had perished there.
Harry again gave the word for them to move on, this time at a walk.
Abdool preceded them on foot.

Presently he said: "The ground is getting softer, sahib.

I think that we are approaching a swamp." "We had better all dismount," Harry said, setting the example.
"Now, let each move in different directions, going very cautiously, and calling out if he comes upon soft ground." He himself, with two of the troopers, remained with the horses.