Indeed the little animals were thirsty, and after they had rested a while—for Uncle Frank had told the children it was not wise to let a horse or pony drink when it was too warm—Clipclap and Star Face had some of the cool water that bubbled up among the rocks.
"It tastes awful good!" exclaimed Janet, as she took some from the cup Ted filled for her.
After Clipclap had been found at the spring, the time he was hidden in the cave, one of the cowboys had brought a tin cup to the spring, leaving it there, so if anyone passed the spring it would be easy to get a drink without having to use a hat or kneel down on the ground. For horses and cattle there was a little rocky basin into which the cool water flowed.
"I wish we could take some of the water with us," said Teddy, when, after a rest, they were ready to follow the trail again.
"If we had a bottle, like some of the cowboys carry, we could," remarked Janet. "Maybe we'll get awful thirsty if we ride on a long way, Ted."
"Maybe we will, but maybe we can find another spring. I heard Uncle Frank say there's more than one on the ranch. Come on!"
The children took another drink, and offered some to the ponies, each of which took a little. Then, once more, the Curlytops were on the trail after the Indians, as they believed.
"Which way do we go now?" asked Janet, as she watched Teddy get up in his saddle after he had helped her mount Star Face.
"We've got to follow the trail," Teddy answered.
"How do we do it?" his sister inquired.