ith it. Coming from no definite direction, it yet impregnated the atmosphere. The air, too, began noticeably to thicken, until the sun, from a

ph Stetson suddenly.

id Coyote Pete. "The wind'

ny worse?" inquired t

gits any better," was t

?" asked Jack, turni

a heavy, suffocating sort of heat. The wind that drove the myriads upon myriads of ti

ur heads under 'em," ordered the cow-puncher, bris

. The ponies could hardly be induced to stand up while the process of unsaddling was gone through. As for the burros, those intelligent beasts had thrown themselves down as soon as the halt

red cousins. The bipeds of the party made haste to follow their animals' example, only, in their case, thei

t as black as night, and the wind fairly screamed as it swept over them. Jack could feel little piles of sand drifting up about them, just as driven snow form

ck, trying in vain to moisten his mout

ing toward them at a rapid rate. For an instant the thought flashed across him that it was their own

driving sand he had distinctly seen three enormous forms sweep by, seen like dim shadows in the glo

n impression of their great size, he had no more definite idea of the apparitions. That they were travelling at a tremendous pace was doubtl

evolved the problem, but no explanation that he could think of woul

se he had ever seen. Besides, their blotty-looking

an to abate. To be sure, at first it hardly seemed to have diminished its force, but in the course of half an

l all about them. The animals, too, struggling to their feet out of the little mounds that had formed around them, were covered with a thick coat of grayish dust

was sinking lower. In a short time it would have set, and, as Ralph Stetson, in a choked voic

tty soon, their predicament

. If only they could yet "pick up" the mesa before dark, this would not be so s

ustache, "waal, I reckon we might as well hang fer a sheep as er lamb, anyhow. Ef we

fessor, leading an eager rush for the water c

Jack, as Ralph Stetson bent over backw

egun to drink yet

vised Pete. "Thet's highly

d drank sparingly, as did Pete and the others. Ralph, alone, of all the party, appeared no

stood motionless beneath him, he stood erect upon the leather seat. From this elevation, he scanned the horizon on every side. Far off to the sout

r compass," said Pete, resumin

ended hi

l right, I know,"

me this way was with an old prospector who knew this part of the country well enoug

professor. "But are y

nt as not to know that, in the many miles they had traveled, the deflection of

p being right?" asked Ja

n carrying your revolver

left side," rejoined J

pass on the

hy? Isn

all now, perfusser; that thar shootin

rejoined th

our they arrived at the startling conclusion that they had travelled perhaps many miles out of their wa

think of such a possibilit

as happened to experienced sea-captains, and they have navigated

runted Pete. "Suppose now, perfusser, that you jes' fig

cult task, I fear,"

sk, ef we don't hit water purty

nd, taking out a small notebook, began, with the compass before him, to m

sked Jack

might be. We are, according to my reckoning, about tw

his noteboo

vel in that direction." He indicated a poin

-five miles, you

y be more, and aga

ter it'll suit yours truly. Thi

they set out once more, this time taking t

ph whispered to Jack, as they urged t

gged his

se of supposi

egun to be noticeable in the air, when Jack g

" he cried.

he monotony of the sky-line sharply. Coyote Pete scrutinized it with keen

ng on the verdict of the next few seconds, but Pete's slow drawl was more pronounced and unperturbed than ever. He p

e others all bent forward in their

have said more, but the rest of his w