"I don't reckon there's a bit of anything to eat, mother?"

"I shall soon have these rabbits cooked."

"But I must be off after larger game, and don't want to wait till dinner is ready."

"You need the food, d.i.c.key, and there is only a tiny bit of bread."

"Give me that, mother dear. It will stop the hole in my stomach for a spell, and when I come back there'll be plenty of time to eat meat."

Had the circ.u.mstances been one whit less grave, Mrs. Stevens would not have consented to his setting out before having eaten a hearty meal; but she knew that more meat would soon be needed, since they had no other food, and two rabbits would hardly provide the famishing ones with enough to stay their hunger for the time being.

The piece of bread, baked the day previous from the last of their store of flour, was brought out; and, munching it slowly that it might seem to be more, d.i.c.k started off again.

Not until nearly nightfall did he return; but he had with him such portion of a deer's carca.s.s as he could drag, and all fear of starvation was banished from camp.

The wounded man was resting more comfortably, if such term can be applied properly when one is suffering severest pain; and after hanging the meat beneath the wagon, d.i.c.k questioned his mother as to what might be done if they were within reach of a physician.

"If we could see one, d.i.c.key, your father's life might be saved, for such a wound should not be exceedingly dangerous. If I knew how to treat it, and had the proper washes, we ought to nurse him back to life; but as it is, I haven't even that which would check the fever."

"If you could talk to a doctor would it be all right?"

"I believe so, d.i.c.key."

"Would the medecine you want cost very much?"

"It is the same to us whether the price be much or little, since we haven't the opportunity to get what is needed, nor the money with which to pay for it if a shop were near at hand."

d.i.c.k ceased his questioning, and set about performing such work around the camp as might well have been left undone until the next day.

A generous supply of broiled venison was made ready, and the boy ate heartily; after which he went into the wagon, telling his mother he would play the part of nurse until dark, when she could take his place.

Once in the vehicle, partially screened from view, d.i.c.k, after much search for the bit of a lead-pencil his father owned, wrote on a piece of brown paper that had contained the last ten pounds of flour Mr.

Stevens had purchased, the following words,--

DEAR MOTHER,--I know you won't let me go to Antelope Spring if I tell you about what I'm minded to do, so I shall slip off the first thing in the morning. I'll take my rifle with me, and by selling it, get what stuff daddy needs. I can talk with a doctor too; and when I come back we'll fix the poor old man up in great shape.

Don't worry about me, for I can get across without any bother.

I'm going to take the canteen and some slices of meat, so I sha'n't be hungry or thirsty. I count on being back in three days; but if I'm gone five you mustn't think anything has gone wrong, for it may be a longer trip than I'm reckonin' on.

I love you, and daddy, and Margie mighty well; and this footing it across the desert ain't half as dangerous as you think for.

Your son,

d.i.c.kEY.

When this had been done, he kissed his father twice, smoothed the hair back from the pale, damp forehead, and whispered,--

"I'm going so's you'll get well, my poor old man; and you mustn't make any kick, 'cause it's _got_ to be done."

Then he came out as if tired of playing the nurse, and proposed that he sleep under the wagon that night.

"With all hands inside, daddy would be crowded; and I'm as well off out-of-doors. Kiss me, mother, for I'm mighty tired."

CHAPTER III.

A SAND-STORM.

In this proposal to retire thus early Mrs. Stevens saw nothing to excite her suspicions regarding d.i.c.k's real intentions.

He had worked for thirty-six hours almost incessantly; and it would not be strange if this unusual exertion, together with the weariness caused by excitement, had brought him to the verge of exhaustion.

His mother would have insisted upon bringing out one of the well-worn blankets, but that d.i.c.k was decidedly opposed to taking anything from the wagon which might in the slightest degree contribute to his father's comfort.

"I'm very well off on the bare ground, and with the wagon to shelter me from the dew I couldn't be better fixed. Our poor old man needs all we've got, mother; and you may be sure I won't lay awake thinking of the feather-beds we had at Willow Point, 'cause it's about as much as I can do to keep my eyes open."

"You are a dear good boy, and G.o.d will reward you. In addition to saving your father's life, for that is what you've done this day, you have lightened my burden until it would be wicked to repine."

"I'll risk your ever doing anything very wicked, mother; and if the time comes when it seems to you as though I don't do exactly as you want me to, just remember all you've said about my being a good boy, an' let it be a stand-off, will you?"

"I am certain you will never do anything to cause me sorrow, d.i.c.key, dear. Don't get up until you have been thoroughly rested; for now that we have food in camp, I can do all that will be necessary."

Then d.i.c.k's mother kissed him again, not leaving him until he had stretched out at full length under the wagon; and so tired was the boy that Mrs. Stevens had hardly got back to take up her duties as nurse when his loud breathing told that he was asleep.

When d.i.c.k awakened it was still dark; but he believed, because he no longer felt extremely weary, that the night was nearly spent; and for the success of his plan it was of the utmost importance he should set out before his mother was astir.

It was his purpose to travel on foot to Antelope Spring, a distance in an air-line of about forty-five miles, fifteen of which would be across the upper portion of Smoke Creek Desert.

In this waste of sand lay all the danger of the undertaking. The number of miles to be travelled troubled him but little, for more than once had he walked nearly as far in a single day while hunting; and he proposed to spend thirty-six hours on each stage of the journey.

Creeping cautiously out from under the wagon, he fastened his letter to the flap of the canvas covering in such a manner that his mother could not fail to see it when she first came out; and then he wrapped in leaves several slices of broiled venison, after which he stowed them in his pocket.

The canteen was filled at a spring near-by.

He saw to it that his ammunition belt contained no more than half a dozen cartridges, and then took up his rifle, handling it almost lovingly; for this, his only valuable possession, he intended to part with in order to secure what might be necessary for his father's relief and comfort.

The weapon was slung over his back where it would not impede his movements; and with a single glance backward he set out with a long, swinging stride such as he knew by experience he could maintain for many hours.

It was still dark when he had crossed the fertile meadows, and arrived at the border of an apparently limitless expanse of yellow sand.

Here it would not be possible to maintain the pace at which he had started, because of the loose sand in which his feet sank to the depth of an inch at each step.

Having set out at such an early hour, this boy, who was perilling his life in the hope of aiding his father, believed the more dangerous portion of the journey might be accomplished before the heat of the day should be the most severe.

When the sun rose d.i.c.k had travelled, as nearly as he could estimate, over three miles of desert; and his courage increased with the knowledge that one-fifth of the distance across the sands had already been traversed.