The plants were eight or
ten feet high, and the broad thick leaves, spiked, as only the leaves of
the cactus are, looked to be welded together. But that was from a
distance. When the boys reached the thicket they saw that the plants in
reality were some feet apart, although there appeared to be no end to
them. The boys sat down suddenly, their strength deserting them. They
threw their arms forward on their knees and dropped their heads. For a
half hour or more they sat motionless, then Roldan looked up and fixed
his glassy eyes on the forbidding wall, which at close proximity seemed
to girt* the horizon.
"If we tried to go round it," he said, "there is no knowing where we
should find ourselves. We had better go straight ahead, if possible. If
it is too thick we can turn back."
"At least we could not see this horrible desert for a while," said Adan.
"I am willing."
"And, who knows? Los Angeles may be just on the other side."
Their utterance was thick. Their veins felt as if packed with lead, not
so much from need of food as need of drink. But they stumbled to their
feet and entered the cactus forest. They were obliged to pursue their
way in single file; the spikes were long, and many of the larger leaves
abutted so obstructively that they were obliged to go down on their
hands and knees and crawl.
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