Trudge, trudge, creak, creak, over the dry plain, on for that quivering horizon which might contain water but never drew nearer. They did not know where they were going; they probably had passed another of the stage station stakes; bushy black Shep was lagging, Duke and Jenny stumbled, Harry limped doggedly, the passenger pleaded ever more faintly and piteously until Harry, halting abruptly, without a word grimly gave him half a dozen swallows; and when they resumed, Terry had decided that he'd rather have a drink, himself, than all the gold of Pike's Peak. However, Harry took none; and so he didn't ask for one. The sun was low, streaming into their faces, and dazzling and blinding. Soon it would set; soon they must stop; one spot would be as good as another, if they didn't come to water--and just how he was to get through a dry night, following a dry day, Terry could not imagine--did not like to imagine, anyway. That keg, when Harry had tilted it to give those few swallows to the passenger, had sounded alarmingly emptier than before. Water evaporated mighty fast on these plains. Turning a moment, to shut the sun from his tortured eyes, now Terry saw something, quartering behind, on the right, which was the north. What? Antelope? No; too much dust. Antelope didn't raise such dust. Buffalo, then? More buffalo? Or Indians! No--and a wild hope surged into his heart and strengthened his voice, as he cried, to Harry: "Harry! Hurrah! There's somebody else--another outfit!" Harry, who had been plodding on, stopped to gaze; and instantly the exhausted Duke and Jenny stopped. "Freighters," decided Harry. "Great Scott! Hurrah! Or maybe some of the stage-line people. We'll have to head 'em off and make 'em see us. Come on. Hurrah! Duke! Jenny! Gwan! Water! Water! Barrels of it--gallons of it!" Duke and Jenny seemed to appreciate--they started gallantly. "Gee--gee with you, Duke!" bade Harry, hobbling. "Do you think they _will_ have water?" panted Terry. "Of course. But we'll have to catch 'em. Duke! Jenny! Hep!" The dust cloud yonder had resolved itself into quite a large outfit, traveling briskly. There was a herd of animals--mules or horses; and two wagons following, drawn each by four span; and several men afoot, and others horseback. "They'll have to camp pretty soon. We'll come into 'em, if we keep going," encouraged Harry. And he added, suddenly: "Look at Jenny! She smells water. And so does Duke!" For both Duke and Jenny were alertly stretching out--sniffing, tugging, trying to increase their pace. They almost trotted. Could they really smell water in barrels, away off there--or did they guess? At any rate, the two routes were drawing together.