Snowfoot's week was up the next forenoon; and at about ten o'clock Jack, accompanied by Lion, and carrying a double-barrelled fowling-piece, with which he had shot a brace of prairie hens by the way, walked into the Betterson door-yard.
He found the boys at the lower end of the house, with the steers and wagon.
"What's the news?" he asked.
"The news with us is, that we're out of rainwater," Rufe replied.
"I should think so," said Jack, looking into a dry hogshead which stood under the eaves-spout.
"It's too much of a bother to bring all our water by the pailful. So we are going to fill these things at the river and make the steers haul 'em."
There were three wash-tubs and a barrel, which the boys were putting up on the bottom boards of the wagon-box, from which the sides had been removed.
Jack was pleased with this appearance of enterprise; he also noticed with satisfaction that the yard had been cleared up since he last saw it.
He asked about Vinnie, and learned from the looks and answers the boys gave him that she was popular.
"Your saddle came yesterday," said Wad; "so I s'pose you expect to ride home."