nse from the house. Doors and windows were closed and not
a soul appeared in sight.

"That's queer," said Tuttle. "What's become of Billy Haney?"

"Boys, there's a man lyin' beside the door!" exclaimed Mead. "Somebody
is either drunk or dead!"

They swung off their horses and rushed to the prostrate figure, which
lay almost on its face.

"Great God, boys, it's Wellesly, and he's dying of thirst!" cried
Mead. "Nick, bring water, lots of it, cold from the pump! Here, Tom,
help me put him in the hammock."

They laid him in the hammock, in the cool shade of the cottonwoods,
where he had slept, to his own undoing, three days before. They
moistened his black, protruding tongue and let a few drops of the cool
liquid trickle down his parched throat. They poured water carefully
over his head and neck and on his wrists, and then drenched him from
head to foot with pailful after pailful of the fresh, cold water.

The patient moaned and moved his head. "He's alive, boys. We'll save
him yet," said Mead.

Through dim, half-awakened consciousness Wellesly heard the swish of
the water as it poured over his body, and felt the cool streams
trickling down his face. He gasped and his dry, cracked lips drew back
wolfishly from his teeth as he threw up his hands and seized the cup
from which Mead was carefully pouring the water over his head. Mead's
fingers closed tightly over the handle and his arm stiffened to iron.

"Softly, there, softly," he said in a gentle voice. "I can't let you
drink any now, because it would kill you. You shall have some soon."

With a choking yell Wellesly half raised himself and clung to the cup
with both hands, trying to force it to his mouth. Nick Ellhorn sprang
to his side and took hold of his shoulders.

"Sure, now, Mr. Wellesly," he began, and the Irish accent was rich and
strong in his coaxing, wheedling tones, "sure, now, you don't want to
be killin' yourself, after you've held out this far. Just you-all do
as we say and we'll bring you through all right. Sure, and you shall
be after havin' all the water you want, but you must take it on the
outside first. Ah, now, but isn't this shower bath nice!"

While he talked he gently forced the patient back and as Wellesly lay
down again Mead poured a little water into his mouth.

"If he goes luny now that's the end of him," said Emerson in a
repressed, tense voice. "We must not let him get excited. Nick, you'd
better stand there and keep him quiet, i