ling for me to come. I ran over with the lantern, and found
that he had ridden full into a barbed-wire fence around a
hay-stack. The pony stood trembling, with the blood flowing from
her breast and legs, but the scratches did not seem to be deep.

"We must find that ranch-house," I said to Ollie. "It ought
to be near."

For half an hour we wandered among the wilderness of
hay-stacks, every one protected by barbed wire. At last we heard
a dog barking, followed the sound, and came to the house. The dog
was the only live thing at home, and the house was locked.

"Well, what we want is water," I said, "and here's the well."

We let down the bucket and brought up two quarts of mud.

"The man was right," said Ollie. "This is worse than the
Sarah Desert."

"Fountains squirt and bands play 'The Old Oaken Bucket' in
the Sarah Desert 'longside o' this," I answered.

It was eleven o'clock before we found the wagon. We could
hear Jack snoring inside, and were surprised to find Snoozer on
guard outside, wide awake. He seemed to feel his responsibility,
and at first was not inclined to let us approach.

We unharnessed the horses, and Ollie crawled under the fence
around one of the stacks of hay and pulled out a big armful for
them.

"The poor things shall have all the hay they want, anyhow,"
he said.

"I'm afraid they'll think it's pretty dry," I returned, "but
I don't see what we can do."

Then I called to Jack, and said: "Come, get up and get us
some supper!"

After a good deal of growling he called back: "I'm not
hungry."

"But we are, and you're well enough to make some cakes."

"Won't do it," answered Jack. "You folks can make 'em as
well as I can."

"I can't. Can you?" I said to Ollie. He shook his head.

"You're not very sick or you wouldn't be so cross," I called
to Jack: "Roll out and get supper, or I'll pull you out!"

"First follow comes in this wagon gets the head knocked off
'm!" cried Jack. "Besides, there's no milk! No eggs! No
nothing! Go 'way! I'm sick! That's all there is," and something
which looked like a cannon-ball shot out of the front end of the
wagon, followed by a paper bag which might have been the wadding
used in the Cannon. "That's all! Lemme 'lone!" And we heard Jack
tie down the front of the cover and roll over on the bed again.

"See what it is," I said to Ollie.

He took the lantern and started. "Guess it's a can of Boston
baked beans," he said. "