als
traveled well, did not appear tired. Feed fine all over. Plenty water
everywhere.

Not much like Bud's auto stage, was it? But the very novelty of it, the
harking back to old plains days, appealed to him and sent him forward
from dull hardship to duller discomfort, and kept the quirk at the
corners of his lips and the twinkle in his eyes. Bud liked to travel
this way, though it took them all day long to cover as much distance as
he had been wont to slide behind him in an hour. He liked it--this slow,
monotonous journeying across the lean land which Cash had traversed
years ago, where the stark, black pinnacles and rough knobs of rock
might be hiding Indians with good eyesight and a vindictive temperament.
Cash told him many things out of his past, while they poked along,
driving the packed burros before them. Things which he never had set
down in his diary--things which he did not tell to any one save his few
friends.

But it was not always mud and rain and snow, as Cash's meager chronicle
betrays.

May 6.

Up at sunrise. Monte & Pete gone leaving no tracks. Bud found them
3 miles South near Indian village. Bud cut his hair, did a good job.
Prospector dropped into camp with fist full of good looking quartz.
Stock very thirsty all day. Very hot Tied Monte & Pete up for night.

May 8.

Up 5:30. Fine, but hot. Left 7:30. Pete walked over a sidewinder & Bud
shot him ten ft. in air. Also prior killed another beside road. Feed as
usual, desert weeds. Pulled grain growing side of track and fed plugs.
Water from cistern & R.R. ties for fuel. Put up tent for shade. Flies
horrible.

May 9.

Up 4. Left 6. Feed as usual. Killed a sidewinder in a bush with 3 shots
of Krag. Made 21 m. today. R.R. ties for fuel Cool breeze all day.

May 11.

Up at sunrise. Bud washed clothes. Tested rock. Fine looking mineral
country here. Dressed Monte's withers with liniment greatly reducing
swelling from saddle-gall. He likes to have it dressed & came of his own
accord. Day quite comfortable.

May 15.

Up 4. Left 6:30 over desert plain & up dry wash. Daddy suffered from
heat & ran into cactus while looking for shade. Got it in his mouth,
tongue, feet & all over body. Fixed him up poor creature groaned all
evening & would not eat his supper. Poor feed & wood here. Water found
by digging 2 ft. in sand in sandstone basins in bed of dry wash. Monte
lay down en route. Very hot & all suffered from heat.

May 16.

Bud has sick he