was sure must have
been rounded up long before. Not a trace of them could he discover.

Once the boy straightened up in his saddle believing he had heard the
report of a gun. After listening for some time he came to the conclusion
that he had been in error.

"I guess it's my stomach imagining things," grinned Tad Butler.

He had now been out for two nights, and was now well along on the second
day. During all that time he had not had a mouthful to eat. His lips
were dry and parched; his throat burned fearfully. Still, he kept
resolutely on. About two o'clock in the afternoon the herd came upon a
clump of trees. Tad at sight of it, spurred his pony on, attracted by
the greenness of the grass about the place, hoping that he might find a
spring.

But he was doomed to disappointment. There was no sign of water to be
found. With almost a sob in his throat the boy swung himself into his
saddle again.

"Barney, you and I ought to be camels. Then we could carry all the water
we need," he told the pony. "If we don't find some pretty soon I reckon
we'll dry up and blow away. Gid-ap, Barney!"

Once more the lad began his monotonous pounding back and forth along the
side of the herd which was now spread out over a full half mile of
territory, urging with all his strength in order to get the animals to
quicken their pace.

In the camp, Stallings and the others had begun to show their worriment.
Not a trace had been found of boy or herd. The main hope of the foreman
was that Tad might come upon a ranch or a town somewhere, in his course,
and in that way get help to direct him back to camp. As for the cattle,
he feared that they had become so split up that it would be well-nigh
impossible to get them together again.

During the whole afternoon, Bob Stallings had been riding about his own
herd, sweeping the plain with a pair of field glasses.

A speck of dust far to the northwest suddenly attracted his attention.
Stallings halted his pony, and, sitting in his saddle almost motionless,
gazed intently at the tiny point that had come within range of his
vision.

"I wonder what that is," mused the foreman. "It can't be any of our
party, for they would not be likely to be away off there--that is,
unless they have rounded up the bunch."

Stallings, after a while, wheeled his pony and dashed back to camp.

"If any of the men come in, tell them to head northwest and come on as
fast as they can."

"Do you see anything?" asked t