Sam and Ulna soon discovered that though they could not take the raft much further up the side cañon, that they could march along its bed at the bottom of which flowed a little stream of clear, cool water.
They came back to camp, made up their arms, blankets and remaining supplies into four bundles, and Sam announced that they would follow up the stream on foot, for its direction was directly toward Hurley's Gulch.
With wise precaution Sam made fast the raft, for though such an event was to be dreaded, he wanted to have it within reach if they were again forced to go back to the cañon in which they had suffered so much.
"Golly!" exclaimed Ike, as they took up their line of march along the stream, "dis seems like ole times."
"How so?" asked Sam, who was always pleased to see the colored boy in a good humor.
"W'y, we're totin' oursels instead of habin' de raft tote us. I 'clar to goodness, I nebber wants to see a raft agin the longest day I lib. Ize done wif rafts foreber and eber, amen."
"Duno," said Wah Shin, who seemed always very solemn, "dat laft sabe us, me no go backe on laft. No laft, den we allee dead."
Maj barked approval of this and began to leap on every one in turn to show his delight at the new method of travel.
They found no serious obstacles in the cañon, though the sharp grade rose in a way that indicated they were rising rapidly to the table lands above.
Late in the afternoon they came to a spring near the head of the ravine along which they had been marching all day, and, as it was well known to all that water and fuel were scarce in the uplands, it was decided to stay here for the night.