m to secure the much-needed water.

It was a long and discouraging hunt. The banks were so high that he
could find no point where it was safe for him to descend to the
water's edge. There was too great a risk of 'upsetting his cart,' a
calamity which, in all probability, would be irreparable.

At length, however, when he had wandered about a mile distant from the
Wolf Ravine, he discovered a place, where the bank had about six feet
elevation, and sloped down gradually to the river.

Here he paused, and with a small vessel, descended to the stream,
muttering to himself as he did so:

'Why didn't I think and put a pumping arrangement to the machine? I
could have done it as well as not, and it would have saved me a good
deal of trouble.'

But regrets were now unavailing, and he lost no time in useless
lamentations, setting to work at once. It was tedious labor, carrying
up the water in a small vessel, and emptying it in the tank, but he
persevered, and at the end of a couple of hours the task was
completed.

'I can make the wood stand me another day,' he added, as he stood
looking at the greatly diminished pile, 'although, if I knew where to
get it, I would load up now, and then I should be prepared.'

He suddenly paused, for scarcely a dozen yards away, coming up the
margin of the river, straight toward him, he descried the figure of a
man fully six feet and a half high.

Young Brainerd's first impulse was to spring into the wagon and start
away at full speed; but a second glance showed him that it was not an
Indian, but a white man, in the garb of a hunter.

'Hullo, boss, thar, what yer doin'?'

He was at a loss what reply to make, and therefore made none. The next
moment the giant hunter was beside him.

'B'ars and bufflers! younker, what ye got thar?' he demanded, eyeing
the steam man with an expression of the most amazed wonder. 'I say,
what do yer call that thing?'

'That,' laughed Johnny, who could not avoid a feeling of strong
apprehension at the singular appearance of the strange hunter, 'is a
sort of peregrinating locomotive.'

'Paggyratin' locomotive, what's that?' he asked, in a gruff voice, and
with an expression of great disgust at the unfamiliar words employed.

'You have seen a locomotive, haven't you?'

'Reckon I hev, down in St. Louey.'

'Well, this is something on the same principle, except that it uses
legs instead of wheels.'

'Can that ere thing walk?'

'Yes, sir, and run, too;