maller and finally
lost itself in the thirsty earth. For a little way farther the
straggling vegetation and the moist sand showed its course, but long
before he reached the mouth of the canyon all sign of water
disappeared and nothing remained but hot sand and barren rocks. When
he reached the larger canyon through which they had come up from the
plain two days before, he hid behind some huge boulders and watched
and listened for sign of his captors. He thought he heard the faint
sound of a horse's hoofs far in the distance. He started from his
hiding-place and ran down the canyon, hoping to get out of sight, if
it should be his two enemies returning, before they could reach the
place. He was still trembling with the exhaustion of the forenoon's
long nervous strain, and when his foot slipped upon a stone he could
not save himself from a fall. He went down full length upon the sand,
and half his precious store of tea was spilled. He dared not take the
time to go back and make more. There was still left nearly a quart of
the strong liquid, and he thought that if he would be very careful and
remember to swallow only a little each time it might take him safely
across the desert. He hurried on, running where the way was smooth and
hard enough, and again clambering over boulders or ploughing heavily
through the sand.

When he came to the mouth of the canyon and looked out over the low,
rocky hills and the sandy, white waste beyond, the sun was already in
its downward course. He was red and panting with the heat, which had
been well nigh intolerable between the high, narrow walls of the
canyon, and his whole body smarted and glowed as if it had been
encased in some stinging hot metal. He carefully studied the sky line
of the Fernandez mountains, which rimmed the desert on the west, and
marked the pass through which he and his companions had come,
impressing it upon his mind that he must keep that constantly before
his eyes. It seemed easy enough, and he said to himself that if he
just kept his face toward that pass he would have no trouble and that
he would certainly reach it before noon the next day. He listened
intently for sounds from the canyon, but could hear nothing, and with
much relief he decided that he must have been mistaken and that he
would be safe from immediate pursuit.

"I'm lucky so far," he said to himself as he started on the faintly
marked trail across the barren foothills, "even if I did spill my tea.
I