Noon
The party pushed on for another hour . The heat was terrible ; the bound men endured torments in their bonds . But the nature of the Superintendent , deformed like his body , declared itself duly at every turn , and the more one prisoner groaned and the other blasphemed , the greater the zest and obduracy of the driving force behind them . Noon passed ; the scanty shadows lengthened ; and Howie gave more trouble of an insensate sort . They reined up , and lashed him tighter ; he had actually loosened his cords . But Stingaree seemed past remonstrance with friend or foe , and his bound body swayed from side to side as the little cavalcade went on at a canter to make up for lost time . -LSB- Illustration : Stingaree toppled out of the saddle . -RSB-