Then he stopped as his eye roved again to the stone pillar. Up on top of that white shaft of stone something moved! What he had thought at first glance were mere hummocks of rock or dusty bowlders, proved to be three human figures! How they had been put there, or how long they had been there, he could not imagine. One of them was smaller than the other two, a pathetic little heap of misery--it was without doubt the girl, and the other two were Neyani and his wife! the boy realized with a sudden shock. They were isolated, starving--and worse than that--oh, much worse--dying of thirst! That lonely rock,--under the pitiless desert sun! He and Big John and Scotty pushed up rapidly toward the ledge as he passed word of his discovery. The Navaho were down below them in the ravine, straggling along in a thin line, watching the rock fearsomely, while the priests above chanted. This was the day when Neyani and his family were expected to die, or confess, or tell of some vision from the Ganhi, evidently. Sid looked up. Neyani and his wife had long since given up hope, for they did not move. They squatted in the stony immovability of Indian pride, huddled on the bare top of the rock, enduring the thirst torture stolidly. But the girl was young, and life to her was yet sweet. She had moved and was now looking down at Sid, and her tongue stuck out at him, black and dry and revolting. At first the boy thought she was making a face at him; then he realized that she _could_ not draw back her tongue! She had reached the last stages of thirst, when the tongue protrudes like a strangling person’s, black and cracked and dry. Her dark eyes looked down at him beseechingly. “Gee, boys, do you see _that_?--Here! I can’t stand this!” barked Sid, tugging at his canteen. “That girl’s dying of thirst. I’ve been thirsty, too! I’m going to toss her up my canteen and let the Indians do what they please about it!” At sight of it the girl stretched down her arms appealingly. Neyani and his wife might scorn to beg water, and their spirits still have stern command over their flesh, but the girl was young, and the all-devouring wants of her body drove out pride and all else in her overpowering desire for water, water, water! A shout went up from the Navaho as Sid sprang up on the ledge, followed by Scotty and Big John. He motioned to toss up the canteen to the girl’s outstretched arms. The qcali stopped, angrily. “No!” he grunted, in English. “White boy not dare!” A roar went up from the ravine below and knives flashed out, while men stooped to pick up rocks. The three medicine men crouched behind the qcali, their eyes blazing hate and defiance. “No!” yelled the qcali, stretching out his arm in sign to halt. “_Yes!_--Darn you! Have you _no_ pity?” shouted Sid, stooping to toss up the canteen to the girl’s waiting hands.