Chapter VII.--The Scarcity Of Water.


Five days later they reached the stream. The miners had all recognized
points that they had passed on their former journey, and all agreed that
it was lower down on this stream that the Crow's village was situated.
For the moment this was a matter of inferior importance to them. It was
enough that they had reached water, for they had for the last four days
been traversing an arid waste of broken country, without as much as a
tree under which they could lie during the day. They had filled up all
their water skins before entering on this region, and these had sufficed
for them and their animals, but for the last two days they had been
obliged to husband it. What remained tasted so strongly of the skins
that at any other time the boys could not have drank it, but men and
horses were both filled with delight at the sight of the bright clear
water. The baggage and saddles were removed, and the animals were
allowed to drink their fill, and then to lie down in the stream while
their riders enjoyed the luxury of a bath.

They had done no cooking for the last four days, as no fuel of any sort
was to be obtained, and they lived upon the dried meat and a drink of
flour and water. The banks of the stream were well wooded, and the
animals, as soon as their thirst was quenched, fell to work upon the
grass that grew knee-deep near its banks.

"We must do some cooking to-day," Dave said, "and a good batch of it;
there is no saying when it will be safe to cook again. We must wait till
night, and then light the fire in the thickest part of these trees, and