ould not
for a moment presume to suggest such a question to him. We have a
distinct objection to the ordinary method of what is called "drawing a
moral." It is much better to leave wise men to do this for themselves.

Next morning Dick rose with the sun, and started without breakfast,
preferring to take his chance of finding a bird or animal of some kind
before long, to feeding again on sour berries. He was disappointed,
however, in finding the tracks of his companions. The ground here was
hard and sandy, so that little or no impression of a distinct kind was
made on it; and, as buffaloes had traversed it in all directions, he was
soon utterly bewildered. He thought it possible that, by running out
for several miles in a straight line, and then taking a wide circuit
round, he might find the tracks emerging from the confusion made by the
buffaloes. But he was again disappointed, for the buffalo tracks still
continued, and the ground became less capable of showing a footprint.

Soon Dick began to feel so ill and weak from eating such poor fare, that
he gave up all hope of discovering the tracks, and was compelled to push
forward at his utmost speed in order to reach a less barren district,
where he might procure fresh meat; but the further he advanced the worse
and more sandy did the district become. For several days he pushed on
over this arid waste without seeing bird or beast, and, to add to his
misery, he failed at last to find water. For a day and a night he
wandered about in a burning fever, and his throat so parched that he was
almost suffocated. Towards the close of the second day he saw a slight
line of bushes away down in a hollow on his right. With eager steps he
staggered towards them, and, on drawing near, beheld--blessed sight!--a
stream of water glancing in the beams of the setting sun.

Dick tried to shout for joy, but his parched throat refused to give
utterance to the voice. It mattered not; exerting all his remaining
strength he rushed down the bank, dropped his rifle, and plunged
head-foremost into the stream.

The first mouthful sent a thrill of horror to his heart; it was salt as
brine.

The poor youth's cup of bitterness was now full to overflowing.
Crawling out of the stream, he sank down on the bank in a species of
lethargic torpor, from which he awakened next morning in a raging fever.
Delirium soon rendered him insensible to his sufferings. The sun rose
like a ball of fire, and