"Something is wrong sure!" cried Bob, and brought Darling to a halt.

There was a cry, taken up by the pioneers one after another, a cry that made the hearts of the three boys sink like lead in their bosoms:

"The spring ahead has gone dry! There isn't a drop of water for any of us!"


CHAPTER XII

SUFFERING FROM THIRST

"The spring gone dry?" cried Si, who was the first to speak.

"And I am as dry as a bone myself!" came from Mark, with something like a groan.

"I guess we are all dry enough," remarked Bob. "Even poor old Darling is suffering."

"Let us go ahead and make certain the report is true," said Mark. "There may be a little water, even if there isn't much."