They filled their water jug, and also the three pails and kettles they carried. To keep the water from slopping from the pails and kettles they covered the vessels with canvas, tied around with strings. The next day came traveling of the worst kind. The trail was more barren than ever and the hot sun poured down upon them mercilessly. Not a tree of any kind was in sight, sage was on every side, dotting the sand but offering no fodder for the cattle. Even Darling would not look at the sage. He plodded along with his ears laid back and his head bobbing wearily. That night they did not build a fire but simply lay down to rest in the open, eating a cold and rather dry supper. They kept the last of the water until morning, and even then saved a few swallows of the precious liquid. "We'd be pretty bad off if we didn't strike that spring," said Mark. "Think of going a whole day without water!" "Or two days--in this heat," put in Si. "It's enough to drive one crazy." Slowly they went on, with a great cavalcade in front and behind them. Noon came and went and the boys calculated that they were still four miles from the spring. "Never mind, we'll reach it inside of two hours," said Maybe Dixon, hopefully. "But even so, I'd give a dollar this minit fer a good glass o' cold drinkin' water." "Don't mention it," said Mark. "You make me more thirsty than ever." On and on they went, until they calculated they must be within half a mile of the precious spring. Then, of a sudden, they heard a commotion ahead of them. "Something is wrong sure!" cried Bob, and brought Darling to a halt. There was a cry, taken up by the pioneers one after another, a cry that made the hearts of the three boys sink like lead in their bosoms: "The spring ahead has gone dry! There isn't a drop of water for any of us!" CHAPTER XII SUFFERING FROM THIRST "The spring gone dry?" cried Si, who was the first to speak. "And I am as dry as a bone myself!" came from Mark, with something like a groan. "I guess we are all dry enough," remarked Bob. "Even poor old Darling is suffering." "Let us go ahead and make certain the report is true," said Mark. "There may be a little water, even if there isn't much." There was a spark of hope in this remark, and they moved forward once more. But alas! when the spring was gained it was found to be practically dry. There were only a few drops coming from it at a time, and this precious water was dealt out to the women and children. The boys and Maybe Dixon turned back and formed in a group near the head of Darling, who was looking as wistfully at the spring as anybody. "Darling, it's too bad, ain't it?" said Bob. "Tough luck, old man!" And he rubbed his hand along the mule's nose. "How far to the next spring?" questioned Mark.