night, and
having eaten our scanty supper, we lay down with our saddles for
pillows, taking it by turns to keep watch. The stars shone brightly out
overhead, enabling us to see a considerable way from our camp, but as I
walked up and down during my watch, I could discern no objects besides
our three horses, though I continually cast my eyes round the horizon.
I occasionally heard the distant yelp of a pack of coyotes, though they
were too far off to be perceived and did not come near enough otherwise
to annoy us.

I was thankful when Mr Tidey roused me up. Without waiting for
daylight, as we could see our way without difficulty over the prairie
and guide ourselves by the stars, having strapped on our packs and slung
our rifles over our shoulders, we mounted and rode forward, our animals
going much more briskly than they had done on the previous evening.
When the sun rose the heat became as great as ever and the poor beasts
began to slacken their speed, but eager to get on, we urged them forward
with spur and rein until we began to fear that they would break down
altogether. Suddenly, however, pricking up their ears and stretching
out their necks, they broke into a gallop.

"They smell water, though we can see no signs of it," observed Mr
Tidey.

"Yes! dare, dare some trees!" cried Dio.

In a short time we perceived what his sharp sight had previously
discovered. It was the bed of a stream. The horses, turning on one
side, made their way down the bank to a small hole which as yet
contained water, though had we gone straight forward we should not have
discovered it, for the greater portion of the bed was perfectly dry.
Almost stagnant as the water was, we thankfully quenched our thirst with
it, and the horses having drank their fill, we led them again up the
bank, where some coarse herbage grew, sufficient to satisfy their
hunger. Having tethered them, we sat down to eat the first food we had
taken that day. As it was important that the train should obtain water,
long before they could reach this supply, we settled to continue our
course to the fort.

We had just risen to our feet and were lifting up our saddles to put on
our horses' backs, when we saw Dio's animal give a start and almost
break its tether; directly afterwards mine, which was feeding near, also
started back, and I caught a glimpse of the head and neck of a snake.
At the same moment the peculiar sound caused by the tail of the
rattle-snake re