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Page 63
A little later the party broke into a gallop, leaving Ping Wing
and his lazy burros far to the rear of them. They were now
crossing that arid region known as the Pahute Mesa, and, just over
the horizon, lay a series of broken mountain ranges, wild, cut off
from civilization, and shunned by all save those whose duty, fancy
or love of adventure called them there. On beyond these the desert
again took up its monotonous reach, hotter, more deadly than
before. Just now, however, the thoughts of the Overland Riders
were on the water hole for which they were heading, and, next in
importance, the cool mountain ranges. Hi Lang beckoned to Grace to
ride up to him.
"What is it, Mr. Lang?" she asked.
"Please caution the young ladies to be sparing of the water."
"Why, it isn't possible that we are short of water," protested
Grace.
"We may be."
"Will you please explain? Your words intimate that you may have
discovered something."
"I saw dust rising from the desert over yonder, a short time ago.
It moved along in a little cloud to the westward and finally
disappeared."
"Do you think it was our mysterious horseman?" asked Grace.
"Maybe. There was more than one horse, as I could tell from the
dust kicked up."
Grace asked what relation that had to the shortage of water.
"Just this, Mrs. Gray. That cloud rose--and I saw it the instant
it appeared--from about where the tank that we are heading for
should be. That's all. Of course I don't know what those folks
were doing there, but I am warning you to go easy on the water."
Grace thanked him and rode over to her companions to caution them
to be sparing of the water, saying that it were possible that they
might be short of it, though Grace confessed to herself that she
did not see how even a visit of the desert "pirates" to a water
hole possibly could prevent her outfit from getting sufficient
water for their use. Of course, if there were but little water in
the tank it might take a long time to get enough for the ponies.
"Something has occurred, has it not?" questioned Elfreda in a tone
barely loud enough for Grace to hear.
"Mr. Lang saw a cloud of dust that aroused his suspicion. The
guide has something of an imagination," added Grace, smiling at
her perspiring companion.
After a little Hi Lang ordered the party to drop into a slower
pace, saying that he wished to save the ponies so far as possible.
"Dismount, but wait before you unpack," directed the guide, when
the party arrived at the water hole.
"Girls, please stay where you are for the present," called Grace.
"What's the big idea?" demanded Hippy Wingate.
"Mr. Lang wishes to see if any one has been here. He thought he
saw a dust cloud in this direction this afternoon and desires to
have a look around, so don't stamp about and destroy the trail, if
there is such a thing," admonished Grace.
Hi Lang got down in the water hole, and for a few moments was out
of their sight. He rose finally and clambered out, his face
wearing a stern expression, and Grace saw at once that the guide
was trying desperately to control his temper.
Without so much as looking at the Overlanders, Hi Lang began
nosing about, now and then bending over to peer at the ground,
stepping cautiously, following a crooked course, all of which
excited Hippy Wingate's merriment.
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